A Mercenary's Tale
by vandevere
Summary: Jayne ain't quite what he seems. X-over with The X-files and Chuck. Rated T for mild profanity Sequel to Chuck VS the Alien Colonists
1. Chapter 1

**A Mercenary's Tale**

**A Firefly/X-Files/Chuck Joint**

Prologue

_2502 AD_

"He's really a great little guy," The Chief of Security told the new Nanny, Ms. Georgia Hale.

Ms. Hale, petite, with brown hair and eyes, and beautiful porcelain skin, nodded as the man continued to speak.

"You'll have to watch out though," he said. "Johnny's a little charmer. If you're not careful, he'll wrap you around his little finger."

As they spoke, they walked through the complex that housed this most exceptional child. There was the Medical Wing, and, of course, Security. Then, there was the Education Wing, and, right next to that, a fully functional Gymnasium. This was clearly designed to take a special child all the way to adulthood.

Finally, they arrived in the child's personal living quarters, and there he was, playing happily under the watchful eye of one of the ever-present guards, toys strewn all over the floor.

"Johnny," the Chief of Security spoke softly, and the toddler looked up.

He was an attractive child with clear blue eyes, a typically Irish nose, and-even now, at the tender age of one-a pugnaciously stubborn-looking jaw line; and all of that topped by a mop of soft brown curls.

Those blue eyes went to Hale, and she knelt in front of him so she wouldn't tower over him.

"Hello, Johnny," she picked up one of the toys, a replica of an Alliance freighter, and held it out to him. Soon, he was happily playing with it, babbling as only a toddler can babble, as they bonded over that little toy.

_Two months later_

Georgia Hale was preparing Johnny for bed. He had been fed and bathed. Now, clad in his favorite jammies, he was snuggled in her arms as she sang an off-key lullaby

_Jeremiah was a bullfrog, was a good friend of mine_

_I never understood a single word he said_

_But I helped him a-drink his wine_

_And he always had some mighty fine wine_

_Singing_

_Joy to the world_

_All the boys and girls now_

_Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea_

_Joy to you and me…_

Hale lay Johnny down in his bed, tucking him warmly in for the night. She caressed that mop-topped head, then turned off the light, and headed out.

"Ms Hale," the on-duty guard accosted her. "A freighter, the _Lady Luck_, just made an emergency docking. They say one of their crew got hurt. Do you have medical experience?"

"Yes," Hale nodded. "Let's go."

They were met at the Docking Bay by the captain of the _Lady Luck_. Jayne Meriwether was a gruff man of middling size. But his hired gun, Frank Ferguson made up for Meriwether's relative lack of size, coming in at just a hair less than seven feet tall. As _Fergie _was only eighteen, however, he most likely had an inch, or two to go before he was done. To the guard's alarm, it was Fergie who was lying on the stretcher.

"Fergie tripped over his own two feet," Meriwether growled by way of explanation. "And he cracked his poor skull something awful…"

"Well…"Hale finished her brief examination. "It looks like he's got a concussion. We'd better bring him in."

"We _can't_," the guard protested. "I would get fired if we let strangers inside"

"I understand," Hale spoke soothingly. "But he could die. Look, can we take them to Security HQ? That way, you can keep a watchful eye, and I know for a fact there's a bed there…"

The guard muttered something under his breath. It sounded a bit like, _oh, crap!_

"All right," he said aloud. "We'd better get going…"

The guard and Meriwether lugged the stretcher down to Security HQ. It wasn't an easy task, as Fergie was very nearly as wide as he was tall. Once there, the guard stretched his back, then bent to look down at the unconscious man.

_Why is he grinning like that?_

That was when Fergie rose up, like Lazarus, meaty hands going for the guard's throat…

Ignoring the scuffle behind him, Captain Jayne Meriwether to take control of Security HQ's scanners…

"Kaz," he spoke into his hand-Comm. "Jam all transmissions. Things are gonna get dicey pretty soon."

"Yes, sir," a woman's voice responded. "Doing that now."

There was the sound of a body hitting the floor. Hale was staring at the dead guard.

"You could've knocked him out and tied him up," she glared at Fergie. "You didn't have to kill him!"

"Look, Hale," Meriwether said. "He would've _Id-ed _us and you too. You, and the _Compact_, hired us to rescue the sprog. But this is a Fed-owned lab, and there's going to be some killing done here. Just pray that it ain't _us._ Now, go grab the kid and meet us here, ASAP."

Hale drew in a deep breath, nodded curtly. The man was right after all…

Quickly, she ran back to Johnny's quarters. She had packed weeks ago, in anticipation of this day. Now, dragging the packed bag out of its hiding place, she carried it into Johnny's bedroom. Already, she could hear the crackling sound of gunfire, not nearby, thank the lord. Johnny was awake and whimpering as she entered his room.

"Shh, Johnny, it's okay," she picked the little one up, wrapping him up in his favorite blanket, shielding his view so he-hopefully-wouldn't see any dead bodies. Grabbing the packed bag with her free hand, she headed out carefully, back to Security HQ. There _were_ a few bodies littering the hallway floors, all of them guards. Meriwether met her at the HQ.

"That the kid? Good," Meriwether grunted. "Let's get out of here."

He guided Hale, carrying her precious burden, back to the _Lady Luck_. Fergie was already there, with the rest of the crew.

"We was lucky," Fergie said. "Kaz jammed _everything._ Ain't anyone knows what we done.

So, they all escaped. At a mutually agreed-upon location, they all left the _Lady Luck_-a loaner from the _Compact_-and boarded Meriwether's freighter, the _Daisy Wheeler_. The _Lady Luck_ headed off alone, to draw any potential Fed pursuit; and that creeped Fergie out more than anything else did.

"Who the gorram hell's at the helm?" he groused. "Don't tell me we had ghostly company this whole time…"

"Relax, Fergie," Kaz stared that the departing ship. "It's gotta be an AI…"

With everyone back on the _Daisy Wheeler_, with nothing to connect them to the _Lady Luck_-one of the things Meriwether had done back at the lab, was to erase all the files in Security HQ. No one's faces, voices, or names, had been recorded through the whole operation-there was nothing to connect the crew of the _Daisy Wheeler_ to the crime. The only weak link was Georgia Hale.

And she knew how to disappear…

She washed the brown dye out of her hair, and took the brown-colored contact lenses out of her eyes, and mousy Georgia Hale was gone, replaced by Red-haired and blue-eyed Dana Katherine Scully.

The _Daisy Wheeler _let Dana Scully and her _son_, Jonathan Scully, off at Harvest's main spaceport. From there, she went to her home. More an _underground lair_ than anything else, the place often reminded her of those silly movies she used to watch as a kid back on _Earth-that-was_…

_The mad scientist in his underground lair…_

Well…_she_ was the mad scientist now, it seemed. Especially with the things she was about to do to keep Johnny hidden…

She bit her lip as she looked down at the sleeping baby. Already, at the tender age of one, she could see John Casey's face clear as day. Moreover, the little one had displayed a brilliance of mind that very likely surpassed the original's capacities; _enhancements_ of his brain and nervous system, done by the scientists who had created Johnny at the behest of their superiors. Considering that, along with the physical training, disguised as rough-and-tumble playtime, it was clear _they_ were designing a specific type of human weapon.

Scully sighed.

Johnny had _loved_ the rough-and-tumble sessions, loved being tossed around and taught how to roll and tumble. Like the original, John Casey, he was turning out to be intensely physical. Things of the body came to him with incredible ease. Indeed, in terms of pure physical ability, coordination, and motor control, he was far in advance of the average one-year-old…

So, the Feds would not be likely to give him up lightly.

Johnny, too, had to disappear…

The answer made Scully feel ill in oh so many ways.

First, there was the Neural Inhibitor; a device designed for one single nefarious purpose; to dumb the brain down. The thought of using that on Johnny made her want to vomit. But she needed to keep Johnny's brain in the average range; which is clearly was _not._

As ill as using the thing made her feel, the entry site for the little chip made her want to scream.

The entry point was at the back of the neck, which conjured up personal memories best forgotten. Her abduction, finding the implant, the cancer which followed her removal of the implant. The only reason she survived the cancer was because Fox Mulder had found a replacement implant. It was still there, in the back of her neck, protecting her from the cancer, and possibly making her immortal too…

"I'm sorry, Johnny," she brushed the soft curls from the back of the baby's neck. He had been sedated, so he wouldn't feel the needle when it went in. When it was done, he whimpered softly, as if he felt something passing away from him. Scully picked him up and held him, crooning to him softly…

And, now it was time for her to do the Second Terrible Thing…

The Feds would be looking for a one-year-old baby boy.

Scully had managed to acquire-at great cost-two very rare-and highly illegal-things; a medical-grade stasis cubicle, and a few vials of proven _age accelerant._

The age accelerant was a dicey thing. It was all too easy for the stuff to go haywire inside a living body; from infant to old man in a matter of weeks. But, under controllable conditions, best provided by a medical-grade stasis cubicle, a baby might be grown into early adulthood, provided one took all the steps prudence dictated…

Scully hated doing this, hated the fact that she was destroying Johnny. Whoever came out of that stasis cubicle, it wouldn't be the little boy she had come to love.

But this was all to keep him safe from the people who had created him only to use him for their own evil ends. So…

_One evil to prevent a greater evil…_

So she put Johnny into the cubicle, dosed him with the age accelerant, hooked him to all sorts of tubes for proper nourishment during the accelerated growth period, closed the lid, and prayed…

While the age accelerant was working, another part of the stasis cubicle wired into his brain was pouring a lifetime's worth of memories-personally scripted by Scully-into the tabula rasa that was the boy's brain…

_Born Jayne Cobb-_Scully's way of thanking Captain Jayne Meriwether-_the eldest of eight children born to Alma and Thomas Cobb. Left home at sixteen to help support the family. Always sends whatever cash he can to his Ma so she can pay the docs for her youngest child, Jayne's little brother Mattie…_

Scully hoped, by giving him a loving _Ma_, and an invalid little brother to worry about, that the psychological damage she was doing to him might be mitigated at least a little bit…

Finally, it was time to open the stasis cubicle. Scully heaved a sigh of relief. The age accelerant hadn't run rampant this time. The newly-minted Jayne Cobb looked to be in his very early twenties, and he needed a haircut. She brushed hair back from the young man's forehead as he slept. Again, guilt assailed her…

She had sabotaged his brain, and programmed a life for him that would keep him out on the margins of society, eking out a precarious existence on the rim.

She couldn't imagine John Casey being happy about _this._ He had chosen death over servitude five hundred years ago. But, _he_ had been an adult when he made his choice. Johnny had been an infant. He still _was_ an infant, legally, his appearance notwithstanding. It was _her_ duty, as the adult, to make the decisions on his behalf, and she just couldn't bring herself to choose death for him. Jayne Cobb deserved a shot at life…

At least Jayne Cobb had grown tall and strong; a clone of John Casey could hardly do otherwise. At six foot four, with a body built for strength and endurance, Scully hoped he would prove strong enough to endure whatever the 'verse chose to throw at him…

_May he find companions to help him survive,_ Scully prayed. _May he find love and be loved in return…_

**Note:** "**Joy to the World**" is a song written by Hoyt Axton, and made famous by the band Three Dog Night.


	2. Chapter 2

**A Mercenary's Tale **

**Chapter One**

_Note: takes place right after the Firefly episode, "Trash"._

For once, the payoff was ruttin' _good_; perhaps because it had been Inara's show all along, 'stead of Mal's…

Captain Mal Reynolds was a good man, no denying that; but he musta done somethin' powerful wrong in a past life to be cursed the way he was. Ain't nothin' the man ever did went straight or right. With Mal in charge, the Lassiter Heist should've been a complete failure, with wounds and stitches for all.

But Inara had been quietly pulling the strings behind the scenes all along-dear Saffron getting her due-and Inara's luck was way better than Mal's.

_Of course, a sack of rocks would have better luck than Mal…_Jayne Cobb thought to himself. _So that ain't no distinction…_

There had only been one injury during the whole operation-well, _two_, if you counted Mal's pride. Jayne had gotten himself zapped, courtesy of the trash collector they had been trying to diddle. It could've been worse…

_Heh…'Stead of scrambled brains and a bruised spine, I coulda gotten dead…_

Well-Mal's luck notwithstanding-they got the Lassiter-the first laser gun in the history of weaponry-and Inara continued her winning streak by finding-among all her previous Clients-a man who wanted the Lassiter, wanted it bad enough to part with a truly _obscene_ amount of cashy money; more money than any of the crew-including the Tam Siblings, Fugies from the Core Worlds-had ever seen in one place…

Of course, Serenity-the Firefly-class freighter that kept everyone out in the black-was the immediate beneficiary of all this ill-gotten and highly unexpected wealth. Little Kaylee was finally able to get all those parts she'd been nagging the Captain about; parts that would keep Serenity from breaking down while out in the black. Simon Tam, too, was able to include some major improvements in his Sickbay, with better equipment, newer, up-to-date scanners so he wouldn't have to go to a Core World like…Ariel, if he needed to scan someone's brain…

Jayne cringed at that shameful memory. Yeah…the money had made him get stupid. But, it hadn't been just the money…

His hand strayed up to his chest, fingers tracing out the scar under his thin tee...

_You look better in red…_

Even now, that still pissed him off some, even though he now understood the Moonbrain hadn't rightly been in control of her actions when she knifed him. More important, he now knew _why _the L'il Bit was the way she was.

_I was gonna sell her back to the folks who done that go se to her…_

He couldn't imagine how he would've felt if the Feds had done _that_ to Mattie. All he knew was that he would never do _that_ again. Not for _any _money…

After Serenity's share, the amount of money left over was still mind-numbingly huge. Jayne's share was…well…he had never handled that much money in his life; not even when he'd had to dump all that cash back on Canton…

He sent the bulk of his share on to his Ma. She would know what to do with all that money, and there was Mattie as well. Damp-lung weren't a disease you could recover from. Once you got it, it stayed with you as long as you lived, and Mattie's medical expenses had been piling up again, so this money would be coming in at a good time for Jayne's family.

That weren't to say Jayne kept nothin' for himself. He'd had to spend somewhat on his _girls_, Vera, Boo, and all the others. The girls appreciated good gun oil and soft cloths, and ammo surely didn't grow on trees.

He'd also gotten some whiskey-the good stuff instead of his usual rotgut-and some decent cigars. The rest he would save for the whores…

Unfortunately, he couldn't do that just yet. He had only just left Simon's sickbay, and his back still felt a little twingy. So did his head, aching kinda like it did when he had a hangover…

Doc Simon had said the aching head was normal, and that he was to take the next few days off; no heavy lifting, no liquor, and no whores, gorramit!

That left him with just two options; either stay in his bunk until he went stir-crazy from the boredom, or see to his guns and knives, make sure they were clean and in prime working order. So, here he was, at the Kitchen table, his weapons spread out on the table. Ignoring his throbbing head, he held Vera, now pristine clean, in his hands.

He could hear Kaylee's voice in the background, singing happily in her brand spankin' new engine room. Shepherd Book was nearby, reading on his Bible. Jayne didn't know where River Tam was, but that meant she wasn't _here_, bugging him. Zoë Washburne, and her husband, Wash, were most likely up in the cockpit, doing _spousely_ things. Simon Tam was probably up in his equally brand spankin' new Sickbay and Captain Mal Reynolds…

Mal had said something at Breakfast about talking to the Doc. Jayne weren't too sure, but he expected Mal was at least slightly honked-off about Jayne being kept off the Duty Roster for the next few days. Jayne shrugged.

_Ain't like this is gonna last more'n a few days. Can't see why Mal's gotta get his knickers in a twist 'bout this…_

* * *

"Okay," Captain Mal Reynolds strode into Simon Tam's Sickbay. "You got a notion how long it'll be before my Merc can get back on a full work schedule?"

"A few days yet," Simon Tam looked up as he spoke. "His back was still spasming slightly this morning."

"So, no heavy lifting?"

"No heavy _anything_, Captain. If it's any comfort, I told him he can't visit his…err…ladies either"

"You told him he can't visit his whores?"

Mal's eyebrows raised about as far as they could go.

"Now, I gotta ask you," he said. "My Merc ain't dying, is he?"

"No, Captain. But he did bruise his spine, and if he doesn't take it easy now, there could be serious repercussions later."

"What kind of repercussions we talking about here?"

"Permanent spinal pain," River Tam's voice caught both men unawares. "Or paralysis. The boy wouldn't like either possibility."

Once Mal peeled himself off the ceiling-River had a true gift for sneaking up on honest folk-he glared at her.

"What did I tell you about sneakin' up on me like that?"

"But I love startling Captain Daddy!"

_She must be having a good day,_ Mal thought to himself. _She's sayin' __**I**__…_

Simon's eyes crinkled in amusement.

"Where were you, _mei-mei?"_

"With Kaylee," River smiled. "Serenity sings so beautifully."

"Nice to know my ship sings so nicely…" Mal murmured.

Well…he had captainy things to do, and-with Jayne temporarily out of commission-some heavy lifting to do as well. It was River's soft gasp of alarm that stopped him cold, half-expecting one of the Little One's infamous crazy spells. But River was just standing there, eyes wide, head tilted as if listening…

"_Simon!"_

That was Kaylee's voice, raised in a terrified shriek. Mal was running, Simon right behind him. They followed Kaylee's voice into the Common Area. Kaylee was standing in the Kitchen, looking horrified. Shepherd Book was kneeling on the floor, next to Jayne Cobb.

The burly mercenary's body was convulsing, caught in what was clearly a grand mal seizure. Simon muttered an obscenity under his breath as he moved to kneel next to Book, as they both dealt with the seizure

"What's going on?"

That was Wash, the pilot, sounding breathless, and looking rather disheveled, Zoë right behind, looking disheveled too, but gun in hand, ready for anything…

"It's Jayne! He's havin' some sorta seizure!"

Kaylee was shaking as she spoke.

"I think Simon and I have this under control," Book announced.

"Yes," Simon agreed. "But we will need help getting him into Sickbay."

The seizure had spent itself, leaving Jayne unconscious. At six foot four, and weighing in at 200-plus, Jayne didn't exactly fit into the _tote-and-carry_ category; but the four men folk managed to lug the fifth back into Sickbay. Once there, Jayne was quickly stripped down to his shorts, and hooked up to machines to record his pulse, and his brainwaves…

* * *

While Simon Tam worked on Jayne, he could hear Shepherd Book-always his favorite medical assistant-as he herded everyone out.

"Trust me," he heard Book's voice. "We'll let everyone know what's wrong when _we_ know what's wrong. Be patient."

Jayne's pulse and breathing were back to normal. But his brainwaves were showing odd peaks and valleys. Book came up.

"What's wrong, Simon?"

"Brain waves are showing just a little off the norm," Simon explained. "There could be some brain trauma I missed."

With the Shepherd's help, he set up the new scanners, took several snapshots of the mercenary's brain.

"There's no visible sign of trauma," Simon looked the scans over. "But there's something lodged in the back of his neck I seem to have missed. Looks like shrapnel. We'd better take it out."

The procedure was a minor one, and five minutes later, the thing-whatever it was-lay in the palm of Simon's hand. He frowned as he looked at it.

"It doesn't look like shrapnel to me," Book looked over his shoulder. "Let's put it in the magnifier."

Simon nodded. The tiny thing looked more like a data-chip than anything else, and that really did beg the question.

_What the hell was Jayne Cobb doing running around with a data-chip embedded in the back of his neck?_

Book slid the thing into the magnifier, and turned the screen on. Simon was looking at the Shepherd when the screen came on, the image of the little chip magnified by one thousand, and he saw the man go gray to the lips, as all the blood drained from his face…

"Shepherd Book," he grabbed the other man's arm, really afraid he might faint.

"It's all right, Simon," the older man pulled himself together. "I just never expected to see _that_ again."

"You've seen that kind of chip before?"

Everyone on Serenity had speculated on Shepherd Book's mysterious past. The consensus was that he had been some sort of bigwig for the Feds before turning to the Church. Certainly, the man had shown a familiarity with weaponry that Shepherds were not supposed to have, as well as a deep understanding of the darker side of human nature…

The Shepherd closed his eye, and sighed.

"Ever heard of a Neural Inhibitor?"

"Yes," Simon Tam nodded. "They're illegal, and with good reason. Use it on an adult, or an older child, and you put them into a persistent vegetative state. Use it on a baby, and you significantly reduce the child's intellect. Someone used _that_ on Jayne?"

"The evidence is, quite literally, in your hands, Simon," Book rubbed his face. "Which means our Big Dumb Merc was originally much more intelligent than he is now. At least we now know why he had the seizure…"

"We…do?"

"Yes," Book nodded. "The Inhibitor must have gotten fried when Jayne got electrocuted. The seizure was a result of the inhibited portions of his brain waking up again."

Simon looked down at the unconscious mercenary, stunned awe in his eyes.

"It's possible he could've been right up there with me, or even River," he said. "How could _anyone_ do that to a baby?"

Right now, all Simon felt was a deep and abiding anger at anyone who would presume to deliberately sabotage a child's brain.

"Is there any chance he'll get back what he lost?"

"It's hard to say," Book frowned. "We might see some, very slight changes. But the damage has been done, I'm afraid to say."

"We'll need to check with his family," Simon stated. "Maybe we'll even be able to find who did this to him."

"All these years later?"

Book laid a hand on Simon's shoulder.

"You're not looking to exact vengeance on Jayne's behalf, are you?"

"Jayne was likely born a genius," Simon flared. "Even on a Rim World, that would've guaranteed him a scholarship, which would've meant a richer life for him-both materially and spiritually. Someone robbed him of all that. Someone robbed his brain; his very_ mind._ That person needs to answer for what he-or she-did to him."

"Let's not think too far ahead," Book advised. "For now, we should inform the Captain of our findings, and let him decide. Agreed?"

"Yes," Simon nodded reluctantly. He looked down at Jayne, and all he felt was rage. Someone had raped the mercenary's brain, condemned him to a life of intellectual mediocrity, when he had originally been meant to soar the heights; like River had before the Academy…

The parallel between the two made him feel…guilty somehow.

"I'm sorry, Jayne," he murmured. "I'll find out who did this to you."

An empty promise; the deed done decades ago, the path long cold…

_There will be changes of some sort or other. All I can do is be ready to help him. _

Simon turned the Sickbay lights down to low. Right now, the best thing for Jayne was sleep.

They would deal with everything else when he woke up again.


	3. Chapter 3

**A Mercenary's Tale**

**Chapter 2**

_Osiris_

Dr. Mathias was having a really bad day; but nowhere near as bad as Dr. Caron. The Operative had killed her, as casually as if she were a mosquito. Mathias was certain he was next, but a communication had arrived for the Operative-just in the nick of time-and everything changed. Now, he, and the Operative, were _here_, in a secret, spy-proof chamber deep in the bowels of the Senate House, with Senator Maxwell Jameson in attendance.

"Believe me, sir," Mathias addressed the Senator, sending a pointed glare in the Operative's direction. "Ms. River Tam's reading ability is only surpassed by her utter and complete psychosis. In her mental state, if she picked up any of Senator Singh's thoughts, she very likely wouldn't have been able to correctly interpret it."

"So…the blind leading the blind…" Jameson grunted.

"Sir…" the Operative cleared his throat, and Jameson motioned him to silence.

"Senator Singh has just been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He's been hospitalized but, by now, _everyone_ has heard his beliefs concerning…Miranda."

"Well, _I _haven't," Mathias demanded. "I think I have a right to know, especially considering _you_ were about to kill me when Senator Jameson's message arrived."

"Miranda…" the Operative's eyes sought out Jameson's.

"He's cleared to know," Jameson affirmed. "Tell him."

The Operative nodded.

"Senator Singh told me," he began. "He had been in charge of a program years ago, that involved the use of a drug called PAX, on the entire population of Miranda. According to him, it had been a disaster. Most of the populace had died, but a significant segment of the population became what we now call Reavers."

"That's…_ridiculous._" Mathias stated. "Believe me, I've been involved in most scientific studies these past twenty years, and, if there was a drug called PAX, I would've known about it. Besides, I've done autopsies on the few Reaver bodies we've been able to find intact, and it's caused by a _virus_, not a drug."

"Are you sure about that?"

"He's sure," Jameson answered the Operative. "There never was any drug even remotely like PAX. That was just Senator Singh's psychosis manifesting itself. We don't know what happened on Miranda. But we do know it wasn't _us_."

"But you took Miranda off the planetary maps," the Operative said. "You must have some idea what's going on there."

"Suspicions, yes," suddenly, Jameson looked weary. "And this is why I had to interfere with Senator Singh's orders. We couldn't afford to lose Dr. Mathias. He's the only one left who was involved in Project Lazarus."

"Project Laz-"Mathias had to stop and clear his throat. "Are you reinstating Project Lazarus?"

"Yes, we are, Dr. Mathias; and, seeing as Dr. Lorenzo is no longer with us, you are the only one who knows about Lazarus…"

"Johnny," Mathias corrected him. "His name was Johnny. Are we to make another clone?"

"Yes, we will see to it that you have all the resources you need"

"Bear in mind that it was _very_ difficult-almost impossible-to create that first clone."

"What was the problem?"

The Operative had been keeping silent for most of this.

"It was the magnetite in his blood, bones, and brain," Mathias was warming to his subject. "We made around a thousand clones all told. Most of the fetuses spontaneously aborted during the first trimester. Some managed to survive to around five months; but showed severe and deadly deformities. Those we euthanized as quickly as possible. It was the magnetite that was interfering with proper development, you see. Only Johnny made it through the whole gestational period. But he was _perfect…_"

"Perfect..." the Operative raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, he was perfect," Mathias insisted. "Due to the magnetite, his bones were virtually unbreakable, and he also displayed immunity to practically every virus we know about-including the Reaver Virus. Further, the magnetite had also apparently had a salutary effect on his brain, which was strengthened by certain…enhancements…done while he was in vitro. At one year of age, Johnny was so far in advance of other children his age, it was almost terrifying. Then, he was stolen from us, and we were back at square one…"

"As I've already said," the Senator spoke up. "We will make every resource available to you."

He turned to the Operative.

"_Your_ task will be the more difficult one," he said. "Forget River Tam for now. I want Johnny found and brought back to us. He would be around fifteen Standard years old now…"

"Actually…" Mathias held up a hand. "The investigators who searched for Johnny back when he disappeared were able to prove that the theft of a medical-grade stasis cubicle, and some _age accelerant_, were connected to Johnny's kidnapping. Assuming the person in charge knew what he-or she-was doing, and made no mistakes, Johnny could be any age at all."

"So, his profile could read as _white male, age indeterminate…_" the Operative snorted. "It would be like looking for one needle in a thousand different haystacks…"

"I wouldn't worry," Mathias assured the Operative. "As I recall, some of the experiments we did with Johnny dealt with his ability to retain visual information. I'm sure we could adapt _that_ to suit your needs…"

Senator Jameson called for tea for three. If this worked, he would have a weapon against the Reavers, a human weapon that wasn't insane; like River Tam had turned out to be…

* * *

_Serenity out in the Black_

Simon Tam extracted blood from his sleeping patient; put it in the Analyzer for testing. His head was still spinning over the recent discoveries.

_Someone deliberately reduced Jayne Cobb's intelligence…_

At least the Neural Inhibitor was out now, and maybe Jayne would gain back at least a little of what he had lost.

"The boy's brain came to terms with the Inhibitor years ago," River's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "His brain forged new paths instead of trying the paths blocked by the Cruel Device; so, instead of academic excellence, his brain now specializes in sensory and tactile excellence. His nose _knows_, his eyes perceive, his ears hear all, and he _lives_ in his skin. No one better at tracking than the boy, and even better now that he has slipped the leash."

She was staring at the sleeping mercenary.

"Deeper now," she said. "More filled with…_himself_. You'll see…"

With that, she skipped away, executing a complicated pavane around Shepherd Book, and Captain Mal Reynolds as they entered Sickbay. Mal looked grim.

"The Shepherd told me what was done to Jayne," he said. "You got anything you want to add?"

"I've done an in depth brain scan," Simon replied. "And, I'm analyzing his blood even as we speak. The surprising thing is that there doesn't seem to be any long-term damage done by the Inhibitor."

"No brain damage?"

Shepherd Book looked startled at that.

"No sign of any functional damage to the brain," Simon agreed. It _was_ surprising, though, and just a little worrying.

_Does our Big Dumb Merc have any more surprises waiting for us?_

One of the medical machines gave a discreet-sounding beep.

"That's the Analyzer," Simon announced. "It's finished doing the analysis of his blood."

He went to a machine, pressed a button, stared at the readout scrolling down the screen.

"Son of a bitch!"

Mal raised an eyebrow at Simon's sudden exclamation.

"Last time I hear you say that," he said. "We were all staring at a statue of our favorite Merc. Ain't a statue here, so I conjure there's another reason for your imaginative language. Care to fill us lesser mortals in on the situation?"

Simon was staring at the readout.

"It's Jayne's blood…" he said at last. "It's full of…magnetite; lethal levels of it, I'd say. He shouldn't be alive with that much magnetite in his blood."

"So…" Mal looked down at Jayne. "We got us a Merc who was dumbed down by persons unknown, and his blood is chockfull of a toxic substance that ain't even close to killing him. How does all that happen to the son of dirt poor farmers out on the Rim?"

Simon bit his lip. The answer was simple, really. That sort of thing _didn't_ happen to the son of dirt poor farmers out on the Rim.

_It shouldn't happen at all, at least not naturally…_

Blood like Jayne's would poison any mother's womb. Simon was also pretty sure that conception wouldn't be possible either. So…

_Jayne was created in a lab somewhere, created in a test tube, brought to term in vitro; and I thought I was horrified before. How did Jayne end up __**here?**_

He knew he couldn't tell any of his suspicions to Mal; at least not yet, not until he had gotten some answers. Mal had a suspicious nature, and something told him that telling Mal would be a monstrous mistake; at least for now…

Fortunately, a groan interrupted the sudden, tense silence.

"Wha' the gorram hell?"

Jayne Cobb was waking up…

* * *

His head didn't hurt anymore; but everything else did. He felt like he had been tied to the nether end of a horse, and dragged a good country mile

_Back in Doc Simon's Sickbay again…_

"What happened?"

He tried to force himself into full wakefulness, tried to sit up; but a hand on his chest-Shepherd Book's hand-gently pushed him back.

"You had a seizure," the preacher explained.

"A seizure…" Jayne frowned, a sudden fear crawling up his spine. "I got epi…epee…"

"Epilepsy, and no, you don't have it," Simon assured him. "It was just a one-time occurrence."

"So, it was the zappin' I took from that gorram flying trash can when we got the Lassiter?"

"Not exactly," the Doc sighed, and Jayne didn't like the sound of that at all. "When it electrocuted you, it also shorted _this_ out."

Simon held out something in his hand, and Jayne peered at it. At first he thought it was shrapnel. Most mercs Jayne knew collected shrapnel like writers collected ink stains. Shrapnel weren't anything for anyone to get excited about.

'Sides, the Doc wouldn't be looking at him with that unnerving…compassion…if that tiny thing were just a piece of shrapnel. So Jayne looked at the thing more closely, and now that he was looking at it, it didn't really look like shrapnel at all. It had a _machined_ look to it, and it reminded him of those little things you found in the innards of automated machines…

"A _chip?_ What the gorram hell? Where did you find that?"

"In the back of your neck," Simon replied grimly as he turned and put the thing away. "It's a Neural Inhibitor, Jayne, and it's sole purpose is to lower a child's intelligence, so you've been living with that…_thing_…in your neck for a long time now."

Again, there was that compassion in Simon's eyes, a compassion Jayne had often seen for other members of the crew, but never even once aimed at him. Now that it _was_ aimed at him, he had no idea what to do. Then, Simon's words, what he had _said_, caught up with him…

"Someone made me dumb?"

The look in Simon's eyes-angry and sad at the same time-was all the answer he needed, and it made him want to break things…

All his life, Jayne Cobb had been the _slow one_. Reading, writing, and arithmetic, had come slowly, if at all. And Jayne remembered the anguish he had felt when all the kids his age at school had surged ahead of him, as all the younger kids-including his baby brother, Mattie-passed him by too. The hurt of it had never really gone away. But all those years, he had been forced to accept life as it was…

_Some folks were born smart, and others were born dumb, and there was nothing you could do about any of that…_

Until now…

"Someone _made_ me dumb and stupid? Why the fuck would anyone do that?"

"Ain't no one sure on that," Mal spoke, and there was compassion in his eyes and voice too. "We're gonna visit your Ma, Jayne, see if she can help us piece this puzzle together."

"Don't be harsh on my Ma!"

Jayne did sit up now, leveling a stern glare at Mal.

"She ain't got a mean bone in her, and that's a fact. How she got a mean hun dun like me, I can't even tell…"

"We know, Jayne," Simon hastened to explain. "But, she might know something…a face…a name…_Something_. Someone committed a terrible crime against you, when you were just an infant; and I'm sure your Ma would want to help get some justice for you. Besides, wouldn't it be nice to see her again?"

"Yeah…" Jayne nodded shakily, ashamed of his outburst at Mal. "I'd like to see her again, and my little Brother, Mattie, too. It's been a powerful long time since I saw them last."

"So, let's go see your folks," Mal said. "They live on Harvest, right?"

"Yeah," Jayne nodded. "Just a few miles south of Bethany."

He started to get out of that hospital bed.

"Oh, no you _don't_," Simon glared at him.

"Aw, Doc! I feel fine!"

"Just one more day," Simon insisted. "You can go back to your bunk tomorrow morning."

"Aw…hell…" Jayne groused. "I got your word on tomorrow?"

"If nothing happens between now and then," the doc nodded.

"Yeah…okay," Jayne agreed reluctantly. "But I'm gonna hold you to that."

Then the others left; Simon into his office, to go over his medical inventory, Shepherd Book off to his bunk, and Mal off to the cockpit, to inform Wash of his new destination. Jayne lay back in the bed, staring at the ceiling. Simon's news, that someone had done_ that_ to him was like to put him in a towering rage, but for the fact that he was gonna see his folks again, after so many years…

_Ma and Mattie will sure be surprised, seeing me there, all unannounced…_


	4. Chapter 4

**A Mercenary's Tale**

**Chapter 3**

It took almost two weeks to get to Harvest; due, in part, to Mal Reynolds' dislike of flying with an empty cargo hold. Not that Jayne Cobb blamed him none. No cargo meant no money, and everyone Jayne knew liked eating. Fortunately, Zoë knew an old friend from the War, one of the very few Browncoats who had come out on the other side all right. Fellow had built a decent business manufacturing tractors and plows for farming worlds, and was looking to transport some of those to Harvest. The pay was good, and the job was completely legit, tariffs, taxes, and whatnot already paid, and everything on the up and up.

Jayne, he, had followed Doc Simon's instructions to the letter, taking those three days off to let his back, and maybe his brain, too, completely heal. That bit about the Neural Inhibitor worried Jayne some, and it had worried the doc even more. Simon had said the brain was a delicate instrument, and didn't take well to being fiddled around with; his crazy little sister-River-being a prime example of that.

Just earlier today, Simon had scanned Jayne's back and brain one last time. Jayne's back was fine, which meant he could go back to the heavy liftin' and Jayne was pretty sure Mal would be delighted to hear the news; and, as for his brain…

The mercenary was fairly sure he wouldn't be turnin' into an overnight genius; although the doc seemed to be at least halfway expecting it.

_At least I ain't worse than I was before…_

He had heard horror stories-Urban Myths and the like-about what happened when folk who should know better messed with peoples' brains; and, there was River, of course.

According to the doc, she had been one of those rare geniuses that only happen once in a blue moon, and the Feds had messed with her brain…

_She's a little better than she was, but that's only a sometime thing…_

She still couldn't really function unless Simon stuffed her full of those medications, and the doctor hated that. He's said there was always the possibility of terrible side-affects to these meds.

_Guess I was lucky. They coulda made me crazy 'stead of dumb…_

"Jayne"

Shepherd Book's voice brought him out of his reverie. Jayne had always liked the preacher-man. He spoke God's Word, but there was no judgment in him.

"Hi, Shepherd," he replied. "You feel up to the weights today?"

"Certainly, Jayne," Book's smile was, as usual, warm. "How are _you_ feeling today?"

Jayne grunted, just a little annoyed at the preacher's question. Just earlier, Kaylee had asked him the very same question; all wide-eyed and worried-looking, as if he were a fragile set of fine chinaware; like to break at the slightest touch.

"I'm fine, Shepherd," he finally spoke gruffly. "I wish they'd all stop that."

"They're worried about you, Jayne," the Shepherd laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. "They care about you."

"Yeah…"

Jayne sure wished they'd get off this conversational track. It made him feel all sorts of itchy…

"Mal said we should be reaching Harvest sometime early tomorrow morning," Book said. "Looking forward to seeing your folks after all this time?"

"Yeah," Jayne nodded, sitting on the large weights table. "Ya think Doc Simon would take a look at Mattie? Maybe even take him up here and get him scanned? I worry a powerful lot over that boy. What if the Docs there don't know their stuff like Doc Simon does?"

"I'm sure Simon would be happy to help in whatever capacity he can," Book assured him. "Are you ready?"

Jayne nodded, then leaned back to begin his weight-lifting routine…

* * *

Everyone was up early as Wash set _Serenity_ down at the lone spaceport at Bethany. The delivery of the plows and tractors went off without a hitch, and Mal-much to his surprise-was paid the agreed upon amount of cash, plus a tidy bonus for early delivery. So, now, Mal was left wondering why-after all these years-his luck had finally begun to change for the better…

Perhaps Shakespeare was right. Maybe Fortune really _was_ a strumpet.

Certainly, it was beginning to look like Fortune had taken an immediate and rather potent dislike to Jayne Cobb…

_This_, right now, was a case in point…

After the goods had been delivered and payment received, Jayne had given the directions to his mother's farm. Now, they were here; Zoë, Jayne, and Mal, looking at land that had clearly never seen a farm. There weren't even the remains of an outhouse…

"Jayne," Mal had to ask. "You sure we're at the right place?"

Jayne looked around, confusion in his eyes.

"Yeah," he said at last, pointing to a gigantic, gnarled-looking tree. "My Pa put up a swing for me and Mattie when we was little. It was just an old tire on a rope, but we had fun on it."

Mal saw his fists clench.

"What happened to the Farm, Mal? It weren't much, but it's all my Ma and Mattie have."

"Easy, Jayne," Zoë spoke up. "Ain't no sign of a fire, so your folks weren't burned out, and she sent you Post less'n a month ago. Let's go back to Bethany and regroup. There should be folks there who know what happened."

"I got to find them!"

Jayne looked frantically around at the place where his memories said a farm ought to be…

"What if-"

"No _what ifs_, Jayne," Mal laid a hand on his Merc's shoulder. "We're in this with you. Whatever happens, you ain't alone, dong ma?"

The communicator beeped, and Mal cursed as he answered it. It was Simon, sounding flustered.

"Captain," he said. "I don't want to disturb you, but River-"

"Tadame," Mal growled. "She ain't having one of her crazy fits, is she?"

"Actually, no, Captain. She said you would be wanting her to be your Reader; something about…Jayne's Mother?"

"I see…"

Mal glanced back at his Merc. Jayne Cobb looked…lost. Zoë had thrown a companionable arm around the man's shoulders. Was talking to him, doing her best to keep him on an even keel…

If anything _had_ happened to Jayne's folks…

For such a coarse, crude man, the mercenary had always put an awful lot of stock in his family; he always sent the bulk of his pay on to them, and made damn sure that none of his business came anywhere near them.

If anything had happened to Jayne's folks, there would be hell to pay; and bloodshed aplenty…

"Meet us at Bethany's main Post Office," Mal finally spoke into the communicator. "And tell the Little One to behave herself."

"We'll be there, Captain."

Simon signed off, and Mal continued to drive the Mule back into town. This felt all sorts of wrong…

* * *

"The Boy is spiky today," River announced.

"Ah…yes _mei-mei_," Simon Tam frowned, standing just outside Bethany's Main Post Office. "You might not want to call Jayne _the Boy_ in his hearing; especially if he's feeling…_spiky_."

"Don't worry, _ge-ge_," River's smile reminded Simon of how she had been before the Academy. "No red cloths in the bull's face. The Boy has too many fried fish on his plate today."

There Mal was, Jayne and Zoë right behind him. The First Mate was quietly talking to the mercenary, offering words of reassurance, which Jayne looked like he needed. The big man looked…terrified.

Right then, Simon Tam decided that he never wanted to see such a look of terror in Jayne's eyes again…

"Mighty glad you could join us," Mal cast a glance back at Jayne. "We got ourselves a bit of a quandary. I trust you'll keep your head, Little One?"

"Yes, Captain Daddy," River stared up at him with big dark eyes. "She will perform her appointed task to the best of her abilities."

"That's nice…"

Mal proceeded to lead the small group into the Main Post Office…

* * *

"Yes," the Post Office Attendant said. "I know Almah Cobb. She comes here every month like clockwork. She's a pretty little thing too."

"_Huh?"_

Jayne's jaw dropped, and Zoë Washburne surely couldn't blame him…

_The Mother of a grown Merc pushing forty, working a poor farm by herself, and looking after a disabled second son…_

She had seen such women before; careworn, tired, and old before their time…

"I…uh…" Mal stopped and cleared his throat. "We was given to understand she's an older woman, upwards of sixty…"

"No," the attendant shook his head. "You must be thinking of someone else. Wait…"

He broke off, peering at the main entrance.

"Well.." he said. "Speak of the devil, pardon me, and there she is."

Zoë followed his pointing hand, aware of the others following suit.

The woman who had just entered was petite, and it was clear she was no farmer. Her red hair, pulled back into a severe bun, did nothing to hide the Core-bred purity of her facial structure. She wasn't pretty. She was _beautiful_, with cobalt-blue eyes, and creamy porcelain skin.

"Dr. Katharine Scully, is that you?"

Simon Tam's amazed outburst had the entire group looking at him. For her part, the woman-Dr. Scully-seemed equally amazed to see him

"Simon! How good to see you," she exclaimed. "I lost track of you after you graduated. How have you been?"

"I'm well, Dr. Scully," Simon motioned to River. "This is my Sister, River."

At that, River dropped a perfect Core curtsey, marred somewhat by loose clothing, and combat boots. Simon continued to introduce the others, saving Jayne Cobb, who had been hanging at the back, for last. When she saw him, when she heard his name, all the color drained from Scully's face, as if she were looking at a ghost…

Jayne glowered at her.

"I don't know you." He rasped. "You ain't no kin of mine. Where's my Ma, and Mattie?"

Scully just stood there, sadness, and wonder, in her eyes. Finally, she spoke.

"Can we speak privately?"

"We're all with Jayne," Mal spoke firmly. "Man's folks have gone missing, and here you are, using his Ma's name. Ain't a nice combination, if you ask me."

"Nothing has happened," Scully said.

"Precisely," River agreed. "Nothing can proceed from nothing."

Scully gave the girl a quizzical stare.

"Don't fret about the Little Albatross," Mal said. "Half the time, she don't make any sense. Other half, though, she makes a decent Reader, so, if you've got things to hide…"

"I see…"

The woman didn't seem all that put out by the revelation that River was a Reader, and that worried Zoë just a little.

_Wonder where she's been that a Reader don't faze her none…_

"Please come to my house, all of you," Scully insisted. "It's only a block away."

Mal looked at River. The girl nodded, and answered the unspoken question.

"No duplicity," she said. "No intent to inflict harm."

"That's encouraging," Mal said. "Well, Dr. Scully, lead the way."

* * *

Jayne Cobb was feeling all sorts of…confliction…right now. Fear over his Ma and Mattie, anger over what might have happened to them, and confusion over this…stranger…who had been using his Ma's name.

"Ya sent me Post in her name, dint ya; my Cunning Hat, the gloves and scarf?"

"Yes," Scully nodded. "I'm sorry for all of this."

She looked up at him, as if committing his features to memory.

"It's good to see you again," she finally said. "I was so afraid, especially in light of the life chosen for you."

"You know me?"

Jayne decided not to ask anything about the _chosen life_ go se…

"When you were little," Scully affirmed. "You were only an infant at the time, so I'm not surprised you don't remember me."

The mercenary brushed all that aside. There was only one thing he was interested in…

"We're here 'cause you were gonna tell me what happened to my Ma and Mattie, where they went."

"They went nowhere," River was staring at Scully with her big dark eyes.

"Y'got somethin' to say, Moony," Jayne snapped. "Say it plain. I ain't got the time to listen to your crazy-talk."

"It seems that Ms. Tam really _is_ a Reader."

Scully's murmur was almost too low to hear. But Jayne could see the visible tears in her eyes, and fear coiled in his guts.

"They…they're…_dead?_"

Jayne didn't remember leaving his seat in Scully's dainty little parlor. But, there he was, kneeling in front of her, like she was the altar upon which all his hopes rested.

"They didn't die, did they?"

Scully bowed her head, took his hands in her delicate hands, and Jayne felt a wail beginning to keen deep inside his chest. She looked up at him, blue eyes fixed upon his.

"No, Jayne," she spoke softly. "They're not dead."

It was a good thing Jayne was already kneeling, the relief at her words, turned his knees into butter; a relief that died at her next words.

"They were never alive to begin with. They never existed."

He was kneeling there, and he felt the carpeted floor under his knees, Scully's gentle hands holding his; he heard the sounds of the traffic outside, and everyone's breathin'; and he smelled the aromatic tea Scully had insisted on serving everyone, and the smell of her perfume…

_They were never alive to begin with. They never existed…_

A tiny hand caressed his shoulder; River Tam standing right behind him.

"The girl is sorry," she said. "_I _am sorry."

"It ain't your fault, Moony," Jayne hauled himself back to his feet. As he did, he heard Mal speak.

"Dr. Scully," Mal said. "I'm having a bit of trouble understanding things. Could you please explain what you just said?"

_Looks like I ain't the only one who's head is like to burst…_

* * *

"My Merc may be a little rough around the edges," Mal continued. "And I know he's more than a mite confused too. He has a right to know-plainly and clearly-what happened to his folks."

"Nothing _can_ happen to them," River spoke softly, her hand still caressing Jayne's upper arm. It was perhaps a measure of Jayne's utter confusion that he hadn't brushed her off yet. River continued to speak.

"The Boy's Ma and Mattie are fictional characters, written and scripted; only real in the b…in Jayne memories."

Mal felt horror crawl up his spine. He'd heard stories-terrifying stories about what the Feds were cranking out of their…special laboratories. He had chalked all of that down to Urban Myth; until he had met River Tam.

_If they can do __**that**__ to a little genius-girl, what else might they be capable of?_

"What my Little Albatross is sayin'" he turned back to Scully. "Is that true?"

Scully only bit her lip and bowed her head.

"Oh, my god…" Simon Tam sat there, eyes wide. "They're implanted memories. You planted false memories into him."

"I didn't have much choice," Scully admitted. "The idea was to keep him hidden, under the radar."

"Why?"

Scully sighed.

"How much do you know, Simon?"

Mal saw Simon frown at Scully's question. Then the young doctor began to speak…

"I know Jayne's a clone," he said. "By any standard I know, his blood is toxic-with lethal levels of magnetite. I also know you must have been the one who put that Neural Inhibitor in the back of his neck"

Scully flinched at the harshness of his tone, but met his eyes squarely.

"Yes," she admitted. "I had to do everything I could to keep him hidden from his creators."

"_Creators…"_

Jayne loomed over her.

"Will someone please tell me what the gorram hell you're all talkin' about? And, tell me plain; no fancy jargon."

Simon closed his eyes briefly, his obvious anger at Scully warring with his equally obvious compassion for the burly mercenary.

"You're a clone, Jayne," he finally said. "As I've already indicated, your blood is toxic to humans; so much so that normal impregnation simply could not occur. Your blood would poison a mother's womb, most likely killing both her and you. You were probably conceived in a test tube, and brought to term in a tank. You never had a biological mother. I'm sorry, Jayne."

Jayne stood there, white as a sheet; and Mal could not recall ever seeing the man look so lost, so vulnerable; not even when that kid had gotten himself killed saving Jayne's life back on Canton…

When Jayne finally spoke, his voice trembled slightly.

"They growed me in a test tube?"

"I'm sorry, Jayne," there was boundless compassion in the Doc's voice. "It does look that way."

"So, you're telling me I ain't _natural?"_

"I wouldn't go that far, Jayne," Simon hastened to reassure the man.

"Doc, ya just said my blood was toxic to people," Jayne rumbled. "Does that mean I ain't…human?"

It was Dr. Scully who spoke.

"I would have to examine your blood," she said. "But, knowing your origins, and where they got the genetic material from, I would have to classify you a…human/alien hybrid. And heaven help us all if the Feds find you."

* * *

Simon Tam felt an almost bewildering array of emotions; anger at yet another life torn apart by the Feds, in their quest for absolute power, sadness at how easily Jayne had lost his…fictitious…family, awe, that there might be sentience out there that wasn't human, and fear at what that sentience might turn out to be…

But, most of all, he felt awe at Scully.

"You took him," he said to her. "You _stole_ him from the Feds."

"I had to," Scully nodded. "They were going to make a weapon out of him. Even though I understood their reasons, they had no right. Same as the aliens, they would've made a soulless killing machine out of him. Jayne had a right to a life of his own."

"So ya put that _thing_ in my neck," Jayne snarled. "Ya made me dumb, and ya gave me fake memories. Is there anything _real_ in me? Anything at all?"

""_They_ are," Scully looked at all the others in the room. "They all care for you."

"Even on his aggravatin' days," Mal Reynolds affirmed. "Like I've already said before, Jayne; we're all with ya. Ain't nothin' changed on account of your origins."

Scully nodded, smiled sadly.

"You've found yourself a family, Jayne, and I'm happy for you."

"Well, then," Mal drawled. "'Cause we're his family and all, maybe you can tell us the rest of it."

"Yes," Zoë nodded. "Anything you know will likely come in handy somewhere along the line."

"Of course…" Scully nodded.

"Jayne was created in a lab owned and operated by Blue Sun on the moon Ma'at."

"That's one of the moons of Osiris," Simon said.

"Yes," Scully nodded. She took a deep breath. "They did this in Twenty-five-Oh-Two Anno Domini…"

"But that would mean…"

Simon trailed off. His mind simply refused to accept the answer…

"Tadame…" Mal breathed. "You're tellin' me my big, dangerous Merc is only _fifteen years old?"_

"She used a medical-grade stasis cubicle," River supplied helpfully. "And _age accelerant._"

The thudding sound was Jayne's knees hitting the floor again, and this time, it looked like the mercenary was down for the count.

"Uh…Doc," that was Mal. "If you don't mind, I would like to get my Merc back on his feet…"

Simon knelt by the unconscious mercenary, noticed how his sister had laid the man's head on her lap. She had always called him _the boy_, as if she had always known the truth about him.

Jayne Cobb was fifteen years old…

_No…_Simon decided. _**This**__ is what going mad feels like…_


	5. Chapter 5

**A Mercenary's Tale**

**Chapter 4**

_Jayne Cobb was only eight years old when his Ma taught him how to change his newborn baby brother's diapers. He knew he was slow to learn most things…dumb…but __**this**__, he learned easily enough…_

"_That's 'cause you __**aren't**__ dumb, Son," his Ma had assured him. "It's true you have trouble with letters and numbers; but your hands are smart, Jayne, and your eyes and nose too. You're just smart in different ways, Jayne, and you are my strong right hand…"_

_Jayne was glad to change Mattie's nappies in the mornings, give his Ma a little extra sleep time. And he learned other things from changing the baby every morning; he learned how delicate and helpless a baby was, how much a baby appreciated gentle hands and a soothing voice…_

_A cloth over his shoulder, Jayne lifted the freshly-changed baby, held him close, his large hand gently patting Mattie's back, summoning up gas, as his Ma looked at him with pride. Finally, she spoke._

"_The Boy's lids are flickering," she said in River Tam's voice. "He is beginning to wake up…_

Jayne's eyes opened. River Tam was looking down at him, worry in her brown eyes. The realization that his head was lying on her lap brought him sitting bolt upright, expecting Mal, or Simon, to have words with him about that. But Mal just stared at him, worry in his eyes too, and all Simon did was grab his wrist and take his pulse.

"I fainted again, dint I?"

"Well," Simon shrugged. "You've had a lot of shocks today."

Shocks…yeah…

_I'm a gorram clone. No Ma…no Pa…even Mattie ain't real…_

_That_ had hurt worst of all, Jayne realized. Maybe a part of him had already accepted the fact that his Ma weren't real. He remembered the hugs his Ma gave him; but not clearly, as if they were hugs someone had told him about instead of hugs he'd gotten personally; but Mattie…

His fingers remembered stroking a baby's soft cheek, and deftly putting diapers on a tiny little body. His hands and arms remembered lifting that body, and he remembered that tiny little body snuggling against his chest, the warmth it made right over his heart…

_How can Mattie not be real?_

"I remember changing Mattie's nappies," Jayne held up his hands. "I kin almost feel my hands doin' it right now."

"It's called _muscle memory,"_ River agreed. "The body remembers."

"I had you work at a Day Care Center for a few weeks," Dr. Katherine Scully explained. "You were in a light state of hypnosis at the time, which is why you don't remember it."

"_Why?"_

Mal sounded mystified; which was pretty much exactly how Jayne felt…

"I had used _age accelerant_ on Jayne, and also had him in a stasis cubicle for around two weeks," Scully said. "The _age accelerant_ is tricky stuff, and I wanted to make sure there were no side-effects from it. So, I got a friend at the time to hire you on a temporary basis just to take care of newborns for a couple of weeks. Incidentally, my friend said you were very good at your job. She said that, given time and training, you had the makings of a fine Infant Care specialist."

Jayne felt his face flush at that little bit of news.

"Don't worry, Jayne," Simon was grinning. "We won't let that slip out."

"See that you don't, Doc," Jayne growled. "My reputation as a mean an' nasty Merc has got us out of nasty scrapes aplenty. Don't need things worse than they are…"

"Gentlemen," Zoë put in. "I believe we was listening to Dr. Scully?"

"Thank you Mrs. Washburne," Scully continued with her tale. "Anyway, after around two weeks, it was clear there were no side-effects, so I took you down to meet Clem Rasner."

"Clem? _You_ got me my job with Clem?"

Jayne was…horrified.

Katherine Scully-delicate and aristocratic-had been the one to set Jayne up in his first job; with the infamous smuggle, Clem Rasner…

Then, he realized what else Scully was telling him…

"Clem was my first…_real_…memory?"

"Yes."

"So…"Jayne took a deep breath. "Everything before Clem…Lisa…her Pa…That was all fake memories ya planted in my brain?"

"Yes," Scully bowed her head. "I'm sorry, Jayne."

A part of Jayne wanted to howl and break things. Lisa…delectable…_delicious_…Lisa… Her Pa had caught him and her together, took a crowbar to the interloper. Jayne was quicker, put a bullet right through his head; had to flee off world after that to avoid the hangman's noose.

'_Cept it never happened…_

"I'm sorry, Jayne," Scully said again, her eyes welling. "I had to get you under the radar fast. The Feds were beginning to make their presence felt thereabouts."

There was a tense silence, as Jayne tried to wrap his mind around the fact that there had never been a warrant for his arrest all those years ago. Mal spoke into that silence.

"You sure did a lot to my Merc. I can't agree with all of what you did; but, as my dear departed pappy often said, _done is done_. There ain't no undoing what's already done. But, there is one last question I need to ask on my Merc's behalf, and this one's important, so listen up good."

* * *

/p

Mal Reynolds looked at his Merc. Jayne Cobb was still pale from all the shocks he was getting, and Mal didn't want to add to an already full plate…

"All his time with us," Mal continued. "Jayne's been sending almost all of his pay on to his folks; and it ain't too much of a stretch to think he's been doing this the whole time."

"Yes," Scully agreed. "He's been doing this for all of his fifteen years."

"Well, y'see, _that's _the problem," Mal faced her squarely. "His folks don't exist, and here you are. Please tell me you haven't been robbing Jayne blind all these years?"

"Of course not; I invested his money-all in his name, of course-and I have considerable skill in playing the market, in buying and selling Real Estate, and rental properties. Also, Jayne's original job, with Clem Rasner, was a highly profitable one."

"Yeah," Jayne grinned at that, memories clear in the man's eyes. "We struck pay dirt on salvage operations 'bout three, or four times. All told, I think I sent near a million credits to ya. Would still be with Clem if he didn't have that stroke…"

"Yes," Scully nodded. "Like you, Mal, Clem was a good man living in the criminal underworld. But he took good care of his people. Actually, Jayne…you sent closer to two million credits; and that was certainly enough for me to make a strong start."

Mal's jaw dropped.

"So, how big is…Jayne's estate?"

"Well…" Scully paused, as if remembering. "He owns properties all over the Alliance, both Core and Rim worlds. Also, he owns stocks and bonds-controlling shares-along with sleeping partnerships in several large corporations. I just received the most recent financial statement; but-long story short-Jayne's rich."

"I'm…_what..?_"

Jayne was going gray again, looking like to faint again.

"I think we should look at that financial statement," Simon spoke quietly.

"Not that I'll understand a single thing it says," Jayne shrugged.

"_I_ will," Simon assured him. "You should know what your assets are."

Scully nodded, went to her desk, retrieved a thick sheaf of papers, and handed them to the doctor…

* * *

The financial statement was in proper order, everything in Jayne Cobb's name; and the listed assets-in ready cash, controlling shares, holdings leased to prominent businesses, sleeping partnerships, and, most important of all, _land_-was enough to make Simon's jaw drop. Scully was _very _good at creating, maintaining, and growing wealth; so much so that he suspected she might have bent-if not outright broken-several laws in the process.

Simon looked up at Jayne.

"What's it sayin'," the mercenary rasped, looking more than a little frightened.

"You're rich, Jayne," and Simon could only think what a truly banal understatement _that_ was.

So, he elaborated…

"When I say you're rich, Jayne, I don't mean you're well-off, well-to-do, or wealthy. When I say you're rich, Jayne, I mean you're in the top three percent of the elite super-rich; like Alastair Cromwell, or Sudash Singh. You're _that_ kind of rich."

Jayne was quiet, turning things over in his mind.

"Like I could buy a whole fleet of ships," he finally asked. "'Stead of just one?"

"Hell, Jayne," Simon ran a hand through his hair. "You could buy all that, the crew to man them, and have enough left over to buy a planet or two, and still live like a potentate."

"Poten-_what?" _

"Live like a king" River supplied.

"Oh…thanks Mooney…"

Simon brought his eyes back to Scully.

"It's heartening to see how much effort you put into providing for Jayne's retirement," he said. "But, isn't all of that just a little…extreme?"

Scully sighed wearily.

"As you all know now," she began. "Jayne was created by the Feds, and I'm sure they're still looking for him; and a rich man has avenues of escape not open to a poor man; apart from the truism that money can buy silence. That was why I created Jayne's…nest egg."

She paused, and then spoke again.

"It occurs to me that this would be a good time to make some changes."

"Uh…what kind of changes?"

Mal sounded suspicious to Simon's ears, but this was a suspicion he shared with Mal.

"I was merely thinking that one of your crew, Captain, would make a better Legal Guardian than me right now," Scully's eyebrow arched. "After all, you know him better than I do by now, you know his needs, wants, and desires certainly."

"Hey," Jayne raised his hand, sounding just a little miffed. "Why the hell can't I manage my own stuff?"

"Because you really are only fifteen years old, Jayne," Scully spoke sadly.

Jayne looked at River.

"She tellin' the truth, Mooney?"

River nodded.

"The truth is in her," she looked at Scully. "Didn't want to give the Boy up; wanted to be his Ma in truth. Knew the Blue Hands would find him, so she had to age him fast. Cried long and hard after."

* * *

Again, Jayne's world turned upside down. He looked down at the petite red-head.

"Ya wanted to be my Ma?"

The sadness in her eyes was so clear; even a dumb Merc could see the truth when it was that obvious. He found himself drawing her into his arms, holding her close, felt her arms go around him too. She was crying.

"I loved you, Jayne," he voice was muffled against his middle. "I wanted to be your mother; I wanted you to be my son. But, _they_ would've found you. So…I had to give you up…"

"Just like William," River spoke softly, and Jayne felt Scully flinch in his arms. She pulled back a little looked up at him with welling eyes, and Jayne felt fit to cry himself…

She patted his shoulder.

"So," she said. "Have you decided whom you want to be your legal guardian?"

Jayne shook his head.

"Why can't you stay on with what you're doin'? Why does anything have to change?"

"Because, as I've already said, I don't know you, and what you need. _They_ do, Jayne. You've been with them all these years now, and they know you. I still love you, Jayne, and I always will. But your needs come first. You need a legal guardian who knows you."

Jayne knew she was right. Didn't make it any easier, though…

He looked at the others, realized that he trusted them all; even Little Crazy over there, staring at him with her big dark eyes. There was only one person he could consider for such a role…

Mal Reynolds was prickly, he had a bushel-basket full of quirky rules he liked to lay down from time to time; and he got downright _stupid_ every _Unification Day_…

Perhaps it was Mal's anger and…disappointment in him after Ariel that made him choose Mal. He'd felt terrible guilt about that day, actually gone to the Shepherd, and made his Confession, looking for ways to atone for what he did. But he would never have done any of that if it hadn't been for Mal…

As initially horrifying as the notion was, maybe Mal _had_ been actin' sorta like a Pa all this time.

"Uh…" Jayne scuffed his feet on the floor, feelin' all awkward and strange. "Maybe…Mal…could handle my stuff for me?"

"_Me?"_

Mal's eyes went wide.

"Don't see another Mal here; do you?"

"But…Jayne," Mal ran a hand through his hair, looking a touch wild about the eyes. "I know squat and diddly about estate management."

"I do," Simon put in. "And I'm sure Shepherd Book knows some things too. Even Inara might be able to help a little."

"Just so long as we keep it between _us_," Jayne insisted. "I don't want no outsiders poking around what's mine."

"Right," Mal agreed. "We keep it in the family."

* * *

It was time to go back to _Serenity_, and head out into the black. Scully decided she wanted to tag along, get to know the others better. Since she really did turn out to be Jayne's family, Mal told her payment wasn't necessary…

"You _are_ Jayne's kin, even if there's no common blood between you; and that makes you _our_ family too. Stay with us as long as you like; but remember, we're a working ship, and we all do our share."

"Of course," Scully nodded. "I'm sure I can help Simon with his doctoring…"

Mal left it to Jayne to get Scully settled in; including the grand tour of her new home, and introductions to those she hadn't met yet.

Instead, he went to Shepherd Book, and filled him in on the situation.

"Hm…" Book mused. "Jayne has chosen well. You'll do well by him."

"You ain't afraid I might…take advantage?"

Book laughed out loud, and Mal scowled. Didn't anyone take him seriously around here?

"Sorry, Captain," Book wiped his eyes. "In spite of your chosen life of petty crime, there's a core of honesty deep within you. You would die before you hurt Jayne-or anyone-like that."

"Hmph…"

Mal sat back.

"Shepherd," he spoke again. "I just don't get why Jayne chose me."

"I get it just fine," Book grinned.

"Do you now…" Mal sat forward, just a little exasperated. "Perhaps you could enlighten me, 'cause I'm really in the dark here."

"All right Mal," Book's eyes twinkled. "He chose you because you've always been his father-figure; although I'm not sure Jayne realized that until today."

"You weren't surprised at all when I told you his true age, were you?"

"Not really," Book sighed. "Really, his interests, and his behavior…pretty normal for a fifteen-year-old boy, wouldn't you say?"

"Now that I think on it, yeah…" Mal admitted reluctantly. "So, what the hell am I supposed to do with him? Shouldn't I be banning him from drinking, the whores, and being my gun-hand? I mean what kind of guy hires a fifteen-year-old to be his Merc anyway?

"Jayne's situation is not a normal situation," Book said. "And Jayne's not a normal fifteen-year-old. His entire life has been lived as an adult, with all the duties and privileges that come with adulthood. The man didn't get any kind of childhood, but there's no way we can take him backward. Just accept Jayne as he is now, and look out for his interests."

"Yeah…" Mal nodded. "But it kinda makes the hair gray just thinkin' on it. How do I handle Jayne?"

"Don't worry so much, Mal," the Shepherd laid a gentle hand on Mal's arm, an impish smile twitching the corners of his mouth. "You'll make out just fine…Dad."

Mal snorted at that.

"I wish I had your confidence."

"Captain…Mal…do you remember our first dinner on _Serenity?_"

"Yeah, and so does Kaylee' Mal nodded. "Thanks to you and your strawberries."

Book laughed again.

"I was thinking of when Jayne shot his mouth off. You sent him to his room, as I recall. You're a _natural_ father, Mal, and you've been fathering the entire crew without missing a step. I mean, River Tam calls you Captain-Daddy. The title of Legal Guardian is just that; a title. All it says is that you have the _legal_ right to do what you've been doing all along. Simon will help with the high finance and the Law, as will I. All _you_ need to do is be the steady father-figure you've always been."

Mal took a deep breath, let it out.

"I feel the need for a stiff drink," he said. "How about you, Padre?"

"Certainly. Saint Paul said, _A little wine for the stomach's sake_"

"Yeah, Shepherd, but this ain't wine."

"Wine or whiskey," Book shrugged. "The same principle still applies."

Mal dug out two pewter mugs, filled them with amber whiskey, and handed one to Shepherd Book.

"Hope we're doin' the right thing," Mal held out his mug.

"We'll do whatever lies in our power to do," Book said as they clinked their mugs together.

It took less than a week for the change in Legal Guardianship to go through. It would've taken longer on Osiris, but this was Harvest, a farming world, and folks there knew that there was such a thing as _found families_, and those were every bit as important as biological ones. After Mal was named Jayne's Legal Guardian, Book walked Mal through a delicate legal process that made it all but impossible for any Alliance Legal agency to lay claim to-or freeze-any part of Jayne Cobb's assets. Then, those legal duties done, _Serenity_ headed off into the black, ready for her next port of call…


	6. Chapter 6

**A Mercenary's Tale **

**Chapter 5**

The next few months passed peacefully. Due to the recent changes in his luck, and the extra money earned thereby, Captain Mal Reynolds was able to be just a little pickier about the jobs he took. This meant substantially less illegal jobs-less smuggling, and the like-and more or the purely legitimate and up-front kinds of jobs.

Mal was certainly not the only one to feel relief on that account. Smuggling jobs always seemed to mean the employers trying to dick Mal and his crew out of their pay, and that usually meant a gunfight, which meant more stitching up for Simon to do after and a whole lot of pain for _someone_ on Mal's crew.

So no one really had any reason for complaining about the increase in legal jobs. Certainly Jayne didn't complain, seeing as he was usually the one wound up in need of Simon's services after a job gone bad...

Speaking of changes…

Jayne Cobb had surely experience the greatest change off all Mal's crew. Mal was just a little surprised that the mercenary hadn't gone off the deep end yet; and a little worried too.

_Guy lost his entire family; they weren't even real to begin with. And, now he's richer'n Midas. If that ain't a recipe for disaster, I don't know what is…_

Back on _Serenity_, Jayne had fallen into his normal routine, and it just left Mal speechless. Here Jayne was, one of the richest men in the 'verse, doing all the heavy lifting in the cargo hold, and sweeping and mopping the hold too-like clockwork-every morning.

Like before, his afternoons were given over to maintaining the tools of his craft; cleaning his weapons, and spending time with the weights, with Shepherd Book his ever-attentive spotter.

Oh, he _was_ spending a little more on himself; the whiskey was better, as were his cigars. But that was about as far as he went.

_Maybe his bein' rich ain't quite registered with him just yet…_

Of course, life went on, and there were, as always, jobs to be found. So, one day, Mal took Zoë Washburne, Jayne Cobb, and River Tam, to a rather upscale pub in the better part of Persephone's Capital District. The principal aim was schmoozing, plain and simple…

"You never know where you'll get your next job," the Captain had explained.

"Yeah…" Jayne had looked around smirking. "Like these fine folks will want to hire hun duns like us…"

The _Quiet Riot_ was a pleasant little place that had clearly never seen a bar-room brawl. The tables were all covered with clean linen, the chairs were all padded, and the bar proper was all done in glistening chrome, and polished mahogany.

There were wide-screen TVs scattered all over; one was showing planetary news and weather, a second was playing music videos, and the third was showing a classic two-d film from Earth-that-was. Mal glanced at it briefly, remembering how he had _loved_ the movie as a little boy, loved how the Good Guys destroyed the Bad Guy's Death Star. He sighed, remembering a time when he had believed Evil Empires were doomed to failure…

_Well…I've learned since then…_

Forgetting the film, he turned his attention to the other patrons, looking for potential employers.

"I'm gonna get a beer," Jayne announced. "You guys want any? I'm buyin'"

"We're fine," Zoë sipped her iced water. "We ain't here to drink."

"And the Albatross ain't quite legal yet," Mal observed.

"So, maybe Mooney would like a sarsaparilla?"

River scowled at Jayne.

"The Boy…" she spoke loftily. "He is three years younger than the Girl, so he isn't legal either."

"Mal…"

"_Children…"_ Mal rapped the table with his knuckles, and the two combatants subsided, looking at him with practically identical wary expressions. Mal snorted.

"Little One," he said. "I've already explained Jayne's situation to y'all. He ain't a fifteen-year-old boy because he's never _been_ a fifteen-year-old boy. Now, while that might explain some of his less endearing traits, it also means we have to treat him like an adult."

"Damn straight," Jayne grunted and headed off to the bar. River stuck her tongue out at his retreating back, and Zoë laughed as she patted the pouting girl's shoulder.

"It's all right," the woman said. "You'll be legal less'n a year from now, and you'll be able to have a beer with us then."

River brightened at that.

"Simon will get streaky," she said with satisfaction.

"If Simon gets streaky," Mal promised. "I'll sic Kaylee on him. Ain't no power in the 'verse can withstand Kaylee's rainbows and sunshine,"

River gasped, sat bolt upright; and Mal felt a tang of feat run down his spine.

"What's wrong Little Albatross?"

"The Boy…"

River stood, headed to the bar, Mal and Zoë right behind.

Jayne Cobb was standing, staring up at one of the TVs with a rapt expression, as a silly _Fruity Oaty Bars_ commercial played on. The Merc had dropped his beer, the broken mug, and the puddle of beer, making a mess on his boots, but the Merc wasn't paying that any mind. His attention, _all_ of his attention, was focused on the commercial.

"Jayne?"

The man didn't respond to Mal's question. He just stood there, staring up at the TV screen, body rigidly at attention…

"It's swallowed the Boy," River looked alarmed. "Swallowed by a sea of faces…"

"_What's_ swallowed the B-Jayne?"

Another time, Mal might have laughed at Zoë's flub. But this was getting' downright creepy…

"Jayne!"

He clapped his hands right in front of Jayne's face.

Nothing…

The commercial ended, and Jayne sighed, the breath coming out of him softly. Then, he just…toppled right over; like an axed tree…

Mal and Zoë caught him, eased him gently to the floor. Jayne's body was as stiff as a board.

"Catatonic…" River spoke fearfully.

"Little One," Mal ordered. "Call your brother; let him know what's happened. We're bringing Jayne back…"

* * *

"What happened?"

Dr. Scully entered Sickbay in response to Simon's call.

"Jayne's had another…fainting spell," Simon was prepping the bed and scanners. "River says its catatonia. Any chance it could be a reaction to the Neural Inhibitor? It was inside him for fifteen years and the possibility of long-term damage…"

"Research has indicated no sign of that kind of long-term damage," Scully had flinched however at mention of the possibility.

Simon was still torn about Dr. Scully. On the one hand, he had idolized her in Medical School, done his best to impress her. On the other hand, he had just found out that _she_ was the one who had sabotaged Jayne's brain, Granted, it was all done to keep Jayne out of the clutches of the same people who had so callously damaged his sister. But it was still wrong, what she did to Jayne…

Just then, Mal and the others arrived, Shepherd Book, and Wash, also helping to lug Jayne's unconscious body into Sickbay.

Once again, Jayne Cobb was stripped down to his shorts and hooked up to all sorts of medical equipment as Simon examined his pupils…

They were fixed, dilated, and unresponsive to light.

_Damn…_

"How is he?"

"He's catatonic, Captain," Simon rubbed his face. "What happened down there?"

"It swallowed him," River told him seriously.

"_What?"_

"She said somethin' swallowed my Merc," Mal looked a little queasy as the notion.

"There was that stupid _Fruity Oaty Bars_ commercial…" Zoë began doubtfully.

"Yes!"

River's exclamation startled everyone.

"All the faces _behind_ the faces," she insisted. "The Boy was swallowed by the sea…"

"She said that before, too," Mal frowned. "That Jayne had been swallowed by a sea of faces."

Wash cleared his throat delicately.

"Don't want to make folks paranoid," he said. "But I saw that commercial too; and it was weird, even for Blue Sun…"

"What are you suggesting, Wash?" now Shepherd Book was frowning too.

"What if the makers of this commercial added subliminals to it?"

"Subliminals…Oh, dead god…" Scully closed her eyes.

"How can we find out for sure?"

Mal gave everyone his best _Captainy_ expression.

"Well…" Wash spoke slowly. "There's always Mr. Universe…"

Scully raised an eyebrow.

"Who's Mr. Universe?"

"He's one of them tech-savants," Mal explained. "He's about as rich as Jayne, and at least twice as weird. But this sounds like it would be right up his alley. Okay, Wash, get us there as quick as you can."

* * *

Later, after Dinner, Scully went back into Sickbay, settled herself next to Jayne Cobb. She looked down at his still features.

_Where are you, Jayne? Where did you go?"_

She remembered when he had been Johnny; the delightful baby who had stolen her heart all those years ago. Johnny had loved to hear her sing _Joy to the World._

She hummed the tune softly as she stroked Jayne's hand.

_Jeremiah was a bullfrog was a good friend of mine…_

Jayne's fingers twitched under her hand, and her heart leaped.

"J-Jayne?"

"Uh…" he sounded groggy. "What the gorram hell?"

"It's okay," she took his hand. "You had a fainting spell, so-"

"_Again?"_

Jayne snorted, spoke again.

"How the hell am I gonna keep my rep as a mean hun dun if I keep on fainting right and left?"

"This wasn't a normal fainting spell," Simon walked in. "How are you feeling now?"

"I'm okay," Jayne squinted up at the ceiling. "But what's wrong with the lights?"

"What do you mean?"

"They're all…flickery…Doc," Jayne said. "Like they're fixin' to blow. You'd better tell Mal. Better, tell Kaylee. If the bulbs need replacing', Kaylee can wheedle it outta the Cap better than anyone."

Scully looked up at the Sickbay lights, shining brightly and steadily. Then, she shared a long look with Simon…

"Doc?"

"I'll let him know," Simon said at last. "Right now, we need to run some tests."

"Aw…Doc," Jayne groaned. "I've had a bellyful of those already."

"And, if you want a clean bill of health," Simon spoke sternly. "You'll take these tests too."

"All right, Doc," Jayne grumbled. "No need ta get snappy 'bout it…"

* * *

"Yes," the man known as Mr. Universe ran the _Fruity Oaty Bars commercial _through his scanners. "There's definitely something playing in the background. Give me a moment to clean it up…"

Jayne Cobb grunted as he pushed the sunglasses back up on the bridge of his nose.

_Mal said he was weird; not completely off his axle…_

When they'd all come knocking on Mr. Universe's door, it had been his wife who had let them in. She was pretty, polite, and she smelled good. There was really only one thing wrong with her, as far as Jayne was concerned. She was a mannequin…the man had married a gorram mannequin…

It was only Mal's forceful glare that had kept Jayne from turning around and marching right back to _Serenity_…

"Ah, here it is," Mr. Universe tapped the screen. "Very interesting…"

"Just tell us what it is," Jayne snapped, irritated beyond words at having to wear these gorram shades. "Gorram thing practically sent me to my maker."

"I'm not sure," Mr. Universe frowned. "But it looks a bit like an intersect upload."

"An inter-_what?_"

Mal sounded more than a little irked.

"You're tellin' me that someone tried to upload something into my Merc's brain?"

"Not really…"the savant said. "There wasn't enough signal for that. But this commercial was playing everywhere Alliance territory. My guess is that they were trying to trigger something…or _someone._"

There was an uncomfortable silence, and Jayne felt like he was under a microscope as all eyes focused on him.

"You know anything about this inter-_whazzit_," he finally asked "Like anything you can tell me?"

"I'm not an expert," Universe admitted. "There is someone who might be able to help. But, he's very hard to find."

"Could he help Jayne?"

"I think so, Captain," the savant nodded. "But it might be a little hard to find him."

"Give me whatever clues you have," Mal said. "I'll tear the whole 'verse apart, if need be."

"Let's not go that far," a heavily distorted voice suddenly issued forth from cunningly hidden speakers.

"I'm tellin ya," Mal grumbled. "I ain't partial to bein' startled right out of my skin."

The distorted voice chuckled.

"I'm sorry, Captain," it apologized. "Please have Mr. Cobb remove his sunglasses."

Jayne weren't too pleased with that. The shades were the only thing made the flickering bearable, and he was beginning to get a little frightened.

_A Merc that can't see straight is a useless Merc. Or a dead one…_

"Jayne," Mal spoke quietly. "Do what the man says."

"Do I havta, Mal?"

"Take the shades off," Mal's voice brooked no argument, so-grumbling at the unfairness of it all-Jayne braced himself, then took off the sunglasses.

"Gorramit," he squinted as all the light pulsed and flickered. After a silent minute, the distorted voice spoke again.

"Please come to the main office for _Orion Enterprises _on Persephone," it instructed. "I'll see what I can do to help."

"_Orion Enterprises? _That's your gig?"

There was no response to Mal's question.

"He's signed off," Mr. Universe spoke apologetically.

Jayne sighed in relief as he put the shades back on again.

"Well," Mal finally said. "Let's not keep him waiting, whoever he is…"

Everyone filed out. As they all walked back to _Serenity_, Jayne was struck by a question.

_Why did he want to see my face?_

* * *

Back on Persephone, Mal led his party-Jayne Cobb, River and Simon Tam, and Kaylee, for badly needed moral support-to the Main Persephone office for _Orion Enterprises_.

He listened as Kaylee burbled happily about getting a chance to see the insides of the main office-all sheathed in cool marble-for the first time. Kaylee's gift of _Instant Happy_ was needed now; especially by Jayne. Surely, the thing with his sight gone all flickery had to be really weighing him down by now…

Everyone stopped and gaped at the beautiful building.

"Any hope this guy'll be able to help me any?"

Jayne was peering up at the building through those shades he was now forced to wear.

"Won't know until we go in," Mal squared his shoulders. "Come on; don't want to be standing outside all day like loons."

Inside, the place had an austere beauty; tiny rock gardens and miniature waterfalls abounded. The perky receptionist smiled brightly at the assembled troop.

"We're here to see someone," now, Mal wasn't entirely sure this wasn't a mistake. "We don't have a name, but we were instructed to meet him here."

_She's probably gonna have Security toss us out on our asses…_

"Captain Reynolds?"

Mal turned to see a severe-looking secretary step out of an open elevator.

"Mr. Carmichael will see you now," she added. "Please follow me."

The elevator was spacious; the three walls lined with comfortable benches that put Mal in mind of the kind of sofas rich folk always seemed to have in their mansions. There was a dizzying series of ups, downs, and lefts and rights too. Then, the elevator stopped, and the door slid open. Mal's jaw dropped as everyone stepped out.

_So, __**this**__ is what money can buy…_

"Mr. Carmichael will be along presently."

The secretary took her leave, and Mal barely even heard. They stood in what Mal supposed could be called a courtyard, although _this_ courtyard was more like a vast open greensward, with an Olympic-pool-sized fountain in the center.

"Heh," he heard Jayne say behind him. "Just imagine the kind of parties this guy could throw."

"Yeah," Kaylee's eyes were wide as saucers, as she also took in the surrounding residence. Here, for once, the word, _palatial_, truly fit. It _was_ a palace.

"It's right shiny," Mal agreed.

"Thank you very much!"

The stranger's voice brought everyone around…

"Mr. Carmichael?"

He asked, just to be sure…

"Yes," the man nodded. "That's me."

And, as the man cam forward to introduce himself to everyone, Mal realized he liked the lanky guy immediately. He was just…a likeable guy, with his mop of crisp curls, graying at the temples, and his chocolate-brown eyes.

"Nice to meet you all," Carmichael rubbed his hands together, just a touch nervously. "So…where's Jayne Cobb?"

"Mal heard Jayne sigh as he took off the sunglasses and stepped forward.

"I'm right here, Mr. Carmichael" the big man rumbled.

Mal was looking right at Carmichael; saw Carmichael's reaction to seeing Jayne Cobb in the flesh…

The other man's eye's widened. He closed his eyes for a second; deeply moved at the sight. When they opened again, they were full of deep emotion; grief, sadness, and…_joy_; all rolled into one…

"Oh…" Mr. Carmichael breathed. "I've been waiting a long time for you…"


	7. Chapter 7

**A Mercenary's Tale**

**Chapter 6**

They were all assembled in a comfortable room that Charles Carmichael-nee Bartowski-liked to call his _lair_.

He couldn't take his eyes off Jayne Cobb. _That_ face simply conjured up too many long-forgotten memories…

Physically, of course, Jayne Cobb was an exact fleshly duplicate of John Casey, dead these past five hundred years. His eyes were the same, along with the strong jaw line, the broad shoulders, and the height. The goatee was different, of course, but that was a minor thing…

But, in spite of physical similarity, Jayne and John were worlds apart…

John Casey has always been about military self-discipline. He had been a Marine, and had always carried himself like one; posture ramrod straight. He had been a true Military Man.

Jayne Cobb, though…

There was nothing even remotely military about Jayne Cobb. He slouched, he ambled, and he leered suggestively at every pretty female face they saw on the way to Chuck's lair.

But, seeing that face again meant _everything_ to Chuck.

John Casey had needed his help five hundred years before; and Chuck had been helpless. All he could do was help John Casey die.

_Maybe it'll be different this time…_

His guests were nervous as they entered Chuck's lair, and they were still nervous when the tea arrived. Chuck sighed…

"You know, guys," he said. "I don't bite. Really, I don't."

"We know," Captain Reynolds spoke. "It's just that we ain't exactly sure on things."

"Things…"

"Yeah…" Reynolds nodded. "Like how ya reacted when ya first saw my Merc; like your heart was broke, or something."

"Uh, Captain," Simon Tam raised a hesitant hand, eyes going to Chuck. "I think I understand…"

Tam looked at Chuck.

"I'm only guessing," he said. "But we know Jayne's a clone. You knew the original, right?"

"Yes," Chuck bowed his head, remembering John Casey's death as if it had been only yesterday…

"Some things are forever," River Tam spoke softly.

Chuck tilted his head at the girl's seemingly unrelated statement.

"There's something you should know," there was apology in Simon Tam's voice. "Among other things, my sister is a reader."

"Oh…" Chuck wondered why the prospect of someone being able to read all his secrets didn't alarm him more…

_Probably because I intend to tell them everything anyway…_

"I'll bear that in mind," he said aloud. "So…back to the matter at hand…"

He sighed sadly, and then continued.

"His name was Colonel John Casey."

"He must have died a while ago," Simon said. "Jayne Cobb was created fifteen years ago."

"John's death was far longer than fifteen years ago."

_Diane Beckman was right all those years ago…_

"So," Jayne Cobb pushed the sunglasses up on the bridge of his nose. "I ain't me after all…"

"What do you mean, Jayne?"

"Aw, c'mon Mr. Carmichael," Cobb's tone was almost contemptuous. "This guy dies, and these folk make me from him. What if he can…take me over, make me turn into him?"

Chuck would've laughed, but for the very real fear he saw in Jayne's eyes.

"It doesn't work like that, Jayne," he sighed. "Casey's _dead_,and this isn't one of those horror shows they play on the Cortex during the Late-Late-Early Morning Movies. You are _you_."

"Jayne," Simon Tam spoke up. "Clones don't replicate a man's spirit or soul; it's just his DNA, his _genes_."

"Precisely," Chuck nodded, eager to put the hulking mercenary at ease. "It's like Casey's your…_father_…because he passed all his genes on to you."

* * *

_A father? I got a Pa?_

Jayne Cobb sat there, delicate teacup looking out of place in his large paws.

"A real Pa? A real guy?"

"Yes, Jayne," Carmichael smiled. "Casey's real, and I've got the photos to prove it. Just give me time to get them."

Carmichael spent a few minutes on the Comm, ordering his housekeeper to find all the framed photos of John Casey.

"There weren't many" he apologized to Jayne. "Casey was…camera-shy and he usually went to extreme lengths to stay away from them. But, some of my friends were…good spies…"

Here, he laughed, and Jayne suspected it was an old family-type joke sorta thing…

Chuck had been right. There _weren't_ many photos of John Casey. But each one had been lovingly framed, and encased in protective plastic sheets.

They all showed a man just a little older than Jayne, and a whole lot grumpier than Mal. Casey apparently preferred the clean-shaven look; but, apart from that, the resemblance was truly staggering.

_We coulda been twins…_

Jayne looked at the picture scowling up at him, glanced at two other equally surly photos.

"Why don't ya got any of him smiling? Even Mal smiles every once in a while…"

"He really didn't have all that much to smile about," Chuck sighed. "He was betrayed by practically everyone he trusted and believed in. Even his own mother…"

"Huh? His own Ma?"

Jayne just didn't get it. Why would any Ma worth the name betray her own son? He felt River's hand on his arm.

"The Blue Hands were there too," she said. "She _gave_ him to them, sacrificed her boy in the name of expediency."

Jayne felt ill. He knew, now, what the Blue Hands done to River.

His _Ma gave him to them?_

It was Carmichael's throat-clearing that brought him back.

"He was just a child at the time," Carmichael told the story of the life and death of John Casey, looking through the other photos of Casey as he spoke.

"They was tryin' to turn him inta a monster?"

The whole thing sounded like one of those crazy movies they always showed on the Cortex for the Insomniac Crowd…

"Yeah," Chuck nodded. "But he found a way out. All he had to do was die near magnetite…"

Now, Jayne could smell the anger in Chuck.

"But there were those who wouldn't give Casey the rest he had earned. They drilled into the magnetite dug his cells out, and here you are…"

"Yeah," Jayne nodded. "And, if it wasn't for Dr. Scully, I think I would've still been wherever they made me…"

"Scully? You know about her?"

"She's on _Serenity_;" Mal said "Apparently, she was the one who stole our Jayne from the Feds."

"With some help from the _Compact_," Chuck agreed.

"The _Compact…"_ Mal breathed eyes wide. "You're tellin us they're _real?_"

Jayne could only share Mal's disbelief. The _Compact_ was everyone's favorite Conspiracy Theory. They were either the _illuminati,_ or their heirs. Some folks said they were benevolent aliens fixed on helping the ornery human worlds, or a human civilization that had avoided the hundreds of years of war, and advanced beyond anything the Alliance could do. And, of course, there were the usual fears of invasion…

"Aha!"

Carmichael pulled a photo out from under the small pile on the table, handed it to Jayne.

"I think you'll like this one," he said.

For once, John Casey was smiling, caught seemingly unawares as he looked at something off to his left.

"Ooh…" Jayne could hear Kaylee behind him "He's got your dimple!"

"I ain't got no dimples, Girly," Jayne felt his face go red. His fingers curled around the frame as he looked down at the photo.

"How the gorram hell did you score this one?"

Carmichael laughed out loud.

"It was a challenge," he said. "And, it was Anna Wu…"

* * *

_2007 AD Burbank Buy More_

"_Come on," Lester Patel glared at the assembled Buy Morons. "Is there anyone with the stones to shoot the lumbering newbie?"_

"_Uh…" Chuck Bartowski, Nerd herder, and secret Intersect, raised a nervous hand. "I really don't think that would be wise. He's…got a bit of a temper…"_

"_Yeah…" his best buddy, Morgan Grimes grumbled. "And heavy hands…"_

_Grimes was still smarting over the…uh…Ramones-Dude Incident that had occurred only a few days before. But Chuck was the only one who knew the truth about John Casey…_

_The man was a NSA assassin…_

_He killed people for a living…_

_And Chuck didn't even want to imagine what a NSA assassin would do to anyone foolish enough to take a picture of him without his permission…_

"_Well, Charles?"_

_Lester's dark eyes fixed on Chuck._

"_You seem to get along well with the…Neanderthal…in the Large Appliances Section. Surely you should be capable of-"_

"_Don't even start," Chuck cut him off. "I can think of better ways to die, thank you very much."_

"_But-"_

"_Enough, Lester," Anna Wu stepped in, wearing her eccentric Goth-Girl makeup. "Chuckles has made it abundantly clear that he's not interested…"_

_She glanced back at John Casey, lurking somewhere in the background, a speculative look in her eyes._

"_I, however, appreciate a decent challenge…"_

"_I want to see the photo on the Nerd Herder desk by tomorrow afternoon," Lester taunted. "Framed_."

* * *

_Casa Carmichael, Persephone 2517_

Chuck smiled sadly at the memory of his long-dead friends, still vivid after over five hundred years.

"She called it _the hunting of the wild Casey…"_ he heard the chuckles of his guests.

"So," Jayne was grinning. "She use her feminine wiles?"

"No," Chuck thought back. "Like all Big Game Hunters, she was patient, and observant. We all knew he had been in the military. She knew an ex-marine with a wife and kids, got them to come to the store. He and Casey got along like a house on fire, and Casey sold the first of many Beast masters, so it was a good day for him too."

"It shows," Kaylee's finger stroked Casey's cheek in the photo.

"She got the photo," Jayne's tone was appreciative. "The little witch was usin' her brain right."

"Yes," Chuck nodded. "So, she had it framed, and gave it to Lester. He dumped it, of course. But I dug it out of the trash. It was just too…nice…a picture to let it stay in the trash. I don't think Casey ever realized a picture had been taken of him."

Jayne Cobb looked down at the photo he was holding.

"He musta been a right odd fella," the big man mused.

"He was," Chuck agreed. "But he was a good man too; one of the best…"

Jayne turned the photo over in his hands, sighed deeply, and then moved to hand it back to Chuck.

"Keep it," Chuck's hands stopped him "I've got copies…"

"Ya sure?"

"Yes," Chuck could see the photo _mattered_ to Jayne. "Well…to business…"

Chuck sat up straighter, saw everyone else doing the same.

"I'm told you have a bit of a problem, Jayne,"

"Yeah…" the mercenary tapped his sunglasses. "Mr. Universe said I got an Inter-whazzit update, and now my eyes is all…flickery."

"The people who created you must have made alterations to your brain," Chuck nodded. "Thank God…"

"So, Jayne Cobb _was_ enhanced?"

Chuck nodded at Simon Tam's question.

"If Casey had received that upload, his brain would've been irreparably damaged."

"Permanent insanity," River Tam spoke up. "Persistent vegetative state or death. The Boy's brain is better."

"Heh…" Jayne muttered. "That's a new one…"

He told Chuck everything about that time in _The Quiet Riot,_ helped every now and then by Mal Reynolds and River Tam.

Chuck listened to the tale. Then, he sighed again.

_I've been doing that a lot lately…_

"They were probably trying to trigger you," he said at last. "Look, my lab is right next door. I need to scan your brain, make a model of it. Then I'll know what I can do…"

* * *

"This is gorram weird…"

There Jayne Cobb was, shirtless, sitting on a chair with this enormous metal hood lowered down over his head, blocking the rest of the room from his sight. The electrodes glued to his chest were measuring his heart, he knew. But he had no idea what that hood-thing was doing. It seemed to be flashing images right into his brain, and Carmichael had muttered some go se about…modeling…Jayne's brain. But there weren't no clay here, and he didn't understand how that would help anyway…

Finally, the gorram hood lifted, and Carmichael said the testin' was all done. So Jayne put those shades back on first thing-the constant flickering was really damaging his calm-and quickly pulled his tee back on while Carmichael and Doc Simon went over the results. As he got dressed, Jayne saw Kaylee's appreciative stare, and that made him feel all sorts of itchy. Kaylee was a good girl, with healthy appetites. But, she was steppin' out with the Doc now, and Jayne knew he couldn't compete with that…

Little Moony was also starin' at him, her stare every bit as appreciative as Kaylee's had been, and that…

Well…That was downright creepifyin'…

"It looks like they meant you to be an Intersect," Carmichael said. "Among other things…"

"I didn't know your image retention capacity was that good," Doc Simon admitted.

"'Course it's good," Jayne scoffed. "That's why I'm the best at huntin' and trackin'. My eyes is good at remembrin' what they see."

"They improved all of his senses," Carmichael explained to all the others. "I think I can help you."

"How?"

"By giving you the Intersect."

The mercenary frowned at that.

"Ya want ta put it in my brain? I don't want anyone opening my head up…"

"It doesn't require surgery," Carmichael assured him. "It's a…data-upload, that's all. And it will get rid of that flickery effect you've got going right now."

"Wait a bit…"

Jayne was looking at the chair with the hood. A though had occurred to him…

"Ya got ways to fix up broken brains?"

"Some brains…maybe…"Carmichael hedged. "Not all brains."

"Well…" Jayne took a deep breath. "Kin ya look at the Moonbrain? The Feds did some feng le go se to her brain; and all the Doc can do ta help is to stuff her full of meds…"

Carmichael's dark eyes turned to River and her brother.

"I can scan her brain," he said. "But I need to know everything."

Jayne watched as Doc Simon told Carmichael all of what the Feds done to River, saw the anger in Carmichael. The man closed his eyes, and Jayne saw the man beat the anger down into submission. Then, he opened his eyes again.

"I'll scan her brain, see if there's something I can come up with," he said. "The meds have to stop, Dr. Tam. You do know that, don't you?"

"What else is there?"

Jayne heard the despair in the Doc's voice, the frustrated love of the man who could only help his sister by doping her to the gills. Simon hesitated, and Jayne could see the fear in him; fear of letting his hopes get up, only to see them get dashed down again.

"Doc," Jayne said. "Those meds hurt her too. Sometimes, she can't get outta bed; other times, she can't eat."

"I know…" Simon bowed his head, anguish clear in every line of his body. "I would give everything I have, all my worldly good, my _life_…to be able to give River back to herself. But I don't have the expertise."

"_He_ might," Jayne nodded at Carmichael.

So, Simon Tam began to prepare River. But, then she saw the chair, with the metal hood…

"_No!"_

Her shriek of terror jarred everyone.

"Not the box! Not the box with the Blue Hands two by two. The Girl…The Girl in the box…"

Jayne grabbed her hands.

"Ain't no Blue Hands here, Girly," he said. "Jus' us folks want to see ya get better."

She was starin' fearfully at the chair…

_Moony needs a distractin'…_

But his brain was short on ideas now; except for one thing…

"Moony," he gave her hands a squeeze. "Jus' listen to me now. There once was a lad from Nantucket, with an 'xtraordinarily large bucket…"

River had gone still, tear-filled eyes gone all wide-like…

* * *

Simon Tam felt his jaw drop. Jayne Cobb was telling River a limerick; an exceptionally _dirty_ limerick. He was about to march right up to the Merc, and demand an explanation. But the limerick wound down to its vile conclusion.

And River laughed…

Gales and peals of delighted laughter that Simon hadn't heard from River in years.

Not since before the Academy…

He felt something deep inside his chest snap. Jayne, going on to another limerick-one that was even more foul than the first-led the giggling River to the chair, continuing his vile recitation as the hood lowered over her head; and Simon felt like he was drowning…

Quickly, he found a small room off to the side, closed the door softly before his legs buckled. Grief choked him, blinded him. River was laughing, but all he had were tears…

The door opened behind him…

"Bao Bei?"

Kaylee had followed him.

"Oh, Simon…" he felt her arms go around him, as she held him close. All he could do was cling to her and sob. He had prayed nightly to hear River laugh again, and her laughter had been the happiest sound he had heard in years; and it had been _Jayne_…Jayne with his dirty limericks, who had given River her laughter back…

He wanted to tell Kaylee all of this, that he was really happy because he had been waiting so long to hear River laugh, but the flood of tears were too deep, and all he could do was sob…

Finally…a timeless time later, the flood of tears receded, and he could open his eyes, and look up at the woman who had become the love of his life.

"Thank you," he spoke huskily, not yet in control of his voice.

"Are you okay?"

He heard the concern in her voice.

"I'm fine, Kaylee," he said. He started to pull himself back to his fee4t.

"I've got to get back," he said. "River-"

"I think Mr. Carmichael is finished with the scan" Kaylee said as she helped Simon back to his feet.

Kaylee was right. River was twirling around, repeating Jayne's limericks, giggling as she spun, dancing en pointe.

Jayne was watching her, an almost puzzled look in his eyes. Simon walked up to him.

"Thank you, Jayne."

"Eh?"

The big man turned his way, frowning.

"For making River laugh," Simon elaborated.

"Oh," Jayne shrugged. "Weren't nothin'. Jus' better for her to laugh than cry, is all."

"Yes," Simon nodded. "So…thank you…"

* * *

_Osiris_

The Operative strode through the halls of the Senate House. In a way, he had been relieved to be called off the fruitless search for Lazarus-AKA Johnny-although he wasn't exactly looking forward to admitting failure either. Ms. Georgia hale-whoever she really was-had made a baby boy disappear into thin air fifteen years ago.

There was only one consolation-but a rather important on to the Operative. Senator Maxwell Jameson was far more forgiving than Sudash Singh had ever been.

_But, then Senator Jameson isn't a raving lunatic locked up in a luxurious cell for the wealthy mentally ill…_

Dr. Mathias was waiting in Senator Jameson's office, grinning like a loon…

"I'm glad to see _someone _has good news," the Operative said. "So…there's a new Johnny?"

"Born healthy and hale last month," Mathias nodded. "But, there's also good news for you."

"Good news indeed," Senator Jameson strode into his office. "It's in my Private office."

Jameson led the other two through his Public Office into his Private Office; one that only Jameson's most intimate aides had access to.

The monitor on the polished mahogany desk showed the image of a large, muscular man staring raptly upward.

"This clip was taken from an upscale little pub on Persephone a week or so past."

"The face is right, Senator," Mathias commented. "Dr. Lorenzo had some pictures of the original subject, who died in the early Twenty-first Century. The face of the man here is an exact likeness."

"His name is Jayne Cobb," Jameson said. "And he's a petty crook; works with a man called Reynolds, a disaffected Browncoat who turned to crime."

"You'll never guess who else is with him," Mathias giggled. "This is too ironic!"

"Yes?"

"Just watch the tape," Jameson ordered as he un-paused it.

Three people appeared at the man's side. The Operative noticed the man and woman-figured one must have been Reynolds. But it was the girl-staring worriedly up at the hidden camera-that caught his attention…

"River Tam!"

"Yes," Mathias replied. "And how she wound up with these thieves, I'll never know…"

"Well…" the Operative turned to the Senator. "What are your orders? Do we go after both of them?"

"No," Jameson shook his head, "From what Mathias has told me, Ms. Tam simply isn't worth the time or trouble. It's Jayne Cobb I want; and I want him alive. But, before you run off to do my bidding, just a few things…"

"Yes, sir?"

Jameson regarded the Operative, and his gaze was severe.

"I am not Sudash Singh," he said. "And I do not want this hunt to become a pile of dead bodies. We have time to do this. There will come a time when Jayne Cobb is not with the rest of the crew. Apparently, the man likes his whores, for example."

"I understand, sir."

Now, the Operative felt true relief. He had many regrets in his life; having to kill at his employers' orders was always a distressing thing. Even when necessary. Thus, it was good to have a Master who knew how to wield power correctly. He gave Jameson a deep bow.

"I will do the will of the Senate," he said. Then he left.

The work ahead of him would require patience and persistence. But persistence always paid off in the long run. Soon, they would find Jayne Cobb-Johnny I-and bring him back to Dr. Mathias.

What Mathias did with Jayne Cobb after that was no business of his…

* * *

_Note: Here is the smiling photo of John Casey that Anna Wu took way back in 2007 AD .…_

_._


	8. Chapter 8

**A Mercenary's Tale**

**Chapter 7**

Charles Carmichael had sent a wave to _Serenity_, inviting Dana Scully to come down. So, with Shepherd Book keeping her company, Dana Scully came down to Persephone. She felt a touch nervous about meeting the man _she_ knew as Chuck Bartowski. She hadn't seen him in a face-to-face way in over five hundred years. Oh, there had been letters, emails, and whatnot over the years. But they hadn't been together since Colonel John Casey's funeral at Arlington National Cemetery, back on Earth-that-was…

She, and the Shepherd, were met by Carmichael's secretary; a severe-looking little woman that Scully recognized. Her presence _here_, at _Orion Enterprises_, suggested, very strongly, that the rumors she had heard back on Earth, rumors concerning one General Diane Beckman, might actually be true.

"You can't actually be who I think you are?"

The secretary raised a wry eyebrow at Scully's question.

"Not exactly," she said at last. "My body is an organic construct. The AI it houses was replicated from the AI who calls herself Diane, so you may think of me as Diane's twin sister. My name is Louisa Beckman."

Scully stared at Louisa Beckman in wonder.

_Who has the technology to do this?_

The Alliance certainly didn't; although there were dark rumors about that they had been _trying_ these past several years

"The _Compact…_" Shepherd Book spoke quietly. "They might have the tech to create someone like Louisa Beckman."

Scully nodded. Like everyone else, she had heard the rumors concerning The _Compact_. But, she had also had dealings with at least one of their agents, back when she had stolen a little baby clone from the Feds who had created him.

_If their tech is that good, the __**Lady Luck**__ may have been a sentient ship…_

Even so, Scully knew that there were other things out there-apart from the Reavers-in the depth of space.

_Them…_

Unlike the average Alliance citizen, Scully knew the truth about the _Great Diaspora._ It had been Alien Invasion-not depletion of Earth's natural resources-that had forced humanity off Mother Earth

Thanks to people like General Diane Beckman, humanity was thriving now on several planetary systems. But, if the Aliens tracked them here…

_They can't let us survive as a species. We represent a threat to them as long as we live…_

It was the sound of Louisa Beckman delicately clearing her throat that brought her back to the present. They were in the courtyard of the mansion that belonged to Charles I. Carmichael.

_Chuck Bartowski…_

"Omigod! Dana Scully!"

There Chuck was, running up to her. He hugged her tightly; then looked at her.

"You haven't aged a day!"

Chuck hadn't aged much either. There was a little silver at his temples; but he was looking pretty fly for a five-hundred-year-old-plus guy.

And it was so good to see him again, after all those years…

* * *

/p

Chuck Bartowski had meant what he had said. Unlike Chuck, with his graying hair, Dana Scully hadn't aged _at all_ over the intervening five hundred years. But her path to immortality had been a far different one than Chuck's.

He had never really wanted to live forever anyway; his dream had always been of growing into a comfortable old age with his wife, his soul mate, the mother of his children; Sarah Walker Bartowski.

But he'd had to make certain sacrifices, so he would be there when John Casey's clone finally appeared. The process Chuck had used hadn't been perfect. He had to take pills every day to maintain his condition; and he made damn sure there were plenty of those. But John Casey's clone was worth the sacrifice and the loneliness…

Dana Scully's immortality, on the other hand, was of an entirely different order. Rumor said it was _true_ immortality, that she had an unlimited lifespan, her brain and body no longer subject to the deterioration the years brought.

_It must be something to do with the Alien Genome_, Chuck realized.

Most of those who had been abducted by the Aliens had died; some while being experimented upon, others of the _Alien Cancer_ years later, or of suicide…

But Scully's immortality seemed to indicate that those who survived all of that might be immortal; which made John Casey's death all the more poignant in retrospect…

But that certainly raised a few questions about Jayne Cobb, who was, after all, a genetic duplicate of John Casey…

"Chuck," Scully spoke. "I'd like to introduce you to Shepherd Derrial Book."

The man had been standing patiently off to one side, giving the old friends some time to themselves, and Chuck liked him immediately

"Let's all get inside," Chuck suggested. "Then we can all get you up to speed."

Now, everyone was gathered together. Jayne Cobb-still wearing those sunglasses-made room for Scully. A protective arm around her shoulders, and it was clear that he had adopted her as his Ma, even if Chuck was sure Jayne hadn't quite realized it just yet…

"All right," Chuck commanded everyone's attention.

_Time to give everyone the good news…_

"Dr. Tam," he said. "It looks like I can help your sister…"

"How?"

There was fear in Simon Tam; fear that whatever Chuck proposed to do wouldn't work, fear that River Tam would be hurt worse, and not helped at all, and Chuck's heart just bled for the man. Simon Tam had been living without hope for way too long…

"It will be a specific type of Intersect Upload," Chuck explained. "It will re-map her brain, creating new neural pathways to replace what was damaged by the Feds…"

"But, what if-"

"Simon," Chuck interjected. "Any side-effects will be minimal, and easily correctible with extra downloads. Those meds you've been giving her have far more serious side-effects. I've been doing this for a very long time now, and I _know_ what I'm doing."

"Please, _ge-ge_," River looked up at Chuck. "Miracle Man has the cure…"

"All right," Dr. Tam took a deep breath, let it out; all of his fears clear in his eyes and voice. "Let's do this…"

* * *

Two days later, it was time for River Tam's…_treatment_.

So, Simon Tam escorted his sister back into Charles Carmichael's lab. He felt the tremors course through her body as she stared at the chair with the hood.

"We don't need that chair today," Carmichael pointed to a comfortably padded recliner. "Get yourself comfortable in this one instead."

As River got herself comfortable, Carmichael produced two pairs of sunglasses.

"I already have an Intersect," he said. "And you don't want what River's having."

As they both put their shades on, Simon felt Carmichael's hand on his shoulder.

"She will experience some discomfort," he said. "But it shouldn't be too bad."

Simon nodded uncertainly at that, and Carmichael nodded back, as if he completely understood the conflict the young doctor was feeling right now…

"Are you ready River?"

"Yes," River nodded at Carmichael's question. "She…_I_ am ready."

Carmichael pressed a button…

With the shades on, Simon couldn't see clearly. But the walls began to flicker, showing images of a brain, numbers flashing and blinking all over. Those numbers-superimposed as they were, over the brain, seemed to indicate far more than mere numerical values. The brain began to flash too, a complicated pavane of brain and number that seemed to indicate orders and commands being executed…

He heard River gasp as she gripped the armrests of the recliner.

"Wait, Simon," he felt Carmichael's hand on his shoulder. "It's almost done…"

Just a few seconds later, the walls stopped flickering, and the lights came back on. River lay in the recliner, eyes closed, breathing deeply, evenly…

"_Mei-mei?_"

Simon bent over his sister, too full of fear. River's eyes opened at his soft whisper. Her eyes were different now, full of wonder.

"Simon," she finally said.

"How do you feel, _mei-mei_?"

"I…" she sat up slowly, tilting her head as if listening for something.

"I'm…_me_," she spoke again, wonder in her voice too. "I'm anchored now, no longer adrift in the sea. It worked _ge-ge_…It _worked_."

Now, she was laughing and crying, and so was Simon. He hugged her tightly as he looked over River's shoulder, at Charles Carmichael.

"Thank you…" that was all he could think of to say.

But it was enough…

* * *

Jayne Cobb watched as River and Simon Tam stepped out of Carmichael's lab, Carmichael right behind them; and even a dumb Merc could see that things were different now.

_Little Crazy ain't crazy no more…_

All the Crazy was out of her eyes, all the achin' confusion. In its place was something else; somethin' that looked like it could grow up tall and strong; and Jayne liked that.

"Well, Doc," he drawled. "Little Sis all better now?"

"Yes," Jayne," River spoke. "My brain has been re-mapped, just as Mr. Carmichael said it would be. My brain is now whole and uninterrupted."

"Good, Little Albatross," Mal finally spoke up. "Now that's done, mayhap your brother can stop frettin' get along with his own livin'…"

Jayne heard a fervent _amen_ from Kaylee, though he was fairly sure that weren't quite what Mal was thinkin' on…

"So…" Mal went on. "What's next?"

"Jayne's next," Carmichael said. "I've also been working on _his_ Intersect Upload, and it's ready. You ready, Jayne?"

"Uh…" Now that it was time, Jayne was just a little hesitant.

"Jayne," Scully spoke up. "I'll go with you. You won't be alone."

Jayne, feeling awkward, followed Carmichael into the lab, Scully right behind him.

"Anything I should know 'bout?"

He looked up at Carmichael as he lay back in the recliner.

"The process of uploading the Intersect will knock you out for a bit," Carmichael admitted. "Your brain will need time to properly process the upload. But it won't be anywhere near as bad as it was for me on my first time."

"Whaddya mean? You got an Intersect too?"

"Yes," Carmichael smiled old memories in his eyes. "My first one knocked me out all night; but that was years ago. You should only be out for just a few hours. On the other hand, you should expect some very odd dreams."

"Will it get rid of this gorram flicker?"

"Yes," Carmichael nodded. "So, take the shades off, and brace yourself."

Scully and Carmichael were both wearin' their own shades; and Scully laid a gentle hand on Jayne's shoulder.

"I'm right here, Jayne," she said; and that reassured the Merc a whole lot…

Jayne slid the shades off, and gripped the armrests of the chair, more frightened than he wanted to admit to anyone, and the lights went out, leaving him in pitch blackness…

The walls began to flicker, images flashing too fast for the eye to follow; but Jayne's eyes followed…

Faces…images…names…words…instructions…

Everything seemed to pour in through his eyes, and his brain was now a bottomless well, filling up with this endless flow of…_stuff_…and his brain just swallowed it whole.

Then the Intersect Upload came to an end…

"_Please pay attention, Jayne."_

_Jayne was in a classroom, much to his surprise-a children's classroom, stuck behind a desk that was way too small for him; and he could feel his knees cramping somethin' awful. The gentle tapping of the ruler on his desk brought his attention back to his…teacher?_

_Simon Tam, wearing the Traditional College Professor's Robes, Cap, and Tassels, pointed at the chalkboard up in front; 'cept it weren't no chalkboard at all. It was a screen, with numbers and letters dancin' all over it; and some of them numbers and letters was fornicatin'…sexing each other all over the place, and givin' birth to what he now realized were mathematical equations…_

"_This," Simon tapped the screen, apparently unaware of them orgiastic letters and numbers. "Is your Math and Science Program. Pay attention, and learn it all…"_

_So, Jayne did…_

_A blink later, and he found himself in…Inara's shuttle; and he knew he dint belong here._

_**Mal's gonna space me for sure, he finds me here…**_

_But Jayne was sitting in one of Inara's nice chairs, one of her dainty little teacups in his hand, and an open book lying face-up in his lap…_

"_All right, Jayne" Inara was settling herself down in a chair across from him. "This is the Linguistics section of your Intersect Update. Please look down at your book."_

_Jayne looked down at the book lying open on his lap. The pages had been blank before. Now they was filled with words, all sorts of words. With Inara's approving gaze warming him, he began to read the book, all them words entering into his brain._

_Another blink and he was in __**Serenity's**__ empty Cargo Hold, facing…River Tam._

"_It's time for the Boy's dancing lessons," she announced grandly._

"_**Dancin'…**__" Jayne scoffed. "Of all the sissified…I ain't dancin' Moony. Not fer you, not fer anyone…"_

"_You'll like __**these**__ dances," River smirked._

_And she showed him…_

_She was right. He __**did **__like the dances she showed him; dances that left enemies dead and broken, dances that made an unarmed man a total killing machine, dances of death and destruction…_

Jayne opened his eyes, found Charles Carmichael leaning over him, waving a penlight in his eyes.

"How are you feeling, buddy?"

"'M okay," Jayne sat up. "You wasn't foolin' 'bout them dreams, though…"

"How about your eyes?"

Jayne looked about. The lab's regular lights were on now, shining steadily, the way they ought to…

"The flicker's gone," he couldn't fight the lunatic grin spreading across his face, the relief was that strong…

"Good to hear," Carmichael said. "Now, I need to test a few things."

"All right," Jayne nodded nervously. He _hated_ tests, always had…

"Je dois examiner vos qualifications linguistiques maintenant," Carmichael said. "Et je veux également que vous travailliez sur une équation mathématique pour moi."

"Êtes vous certain au sujet de ceci? Je ne suis pas bon à cette sorte de chose"

"Apenas haga el mejor que usted puede," Carmichael said. "No se preocupe de él."

So, Jayne looked down at the small tablet he had been given. He looked at the small screen, with the math problem on it, expecting to understand nothin' at all. But things musta _really_ changed, 'cause he understood it. So, he got to work, sliding letters and numbers around until the equation was right. Then, he handed the tablet back to Carmichael…

"Lo acabé," he said. "Es completo."

Dr. Scully and Carmichael looked the equation over carefully.

"Sie taten die Gleichung tadellos," Chuck smiled. "Und Sie schlossen Ihre Linguistikprüfung tadellos auch ab."

"Ich tat?" Jayne felt his eyes go wide. "Aber ich bin das dumme."

"No, Jayne," Scully said. "You're not stupid; you're not dumb, and I'm sorry for what I did to you."

"Aw…" Jayne shrugged uneasily. "They was lookin' for me, right? Way I figure, it's better to be dumb than dead; and the hundun who made me were like to do worse to me yet, if ya hadn't done what ya did."

"There is that," Carmichael agreed. "I have a few more tests, Jayne. But, why don't you get up, stretch your legs a little?"

Jayne was only too glad to hear that. As he started to stretch, working the kinks out of his back and neck, he saw Carmichael pick something up from a nearby table. Then, without warning, Carmichael spun, moving faster than Jayne had ever seen, hurling that thing-whatever it was-right at Jayne's head, and everything just seemed to come to a halt all around Jayne. Images flared right behind his eyes, and his right hand moved-almost without conscious volition, snatching the thing right out of the air.

"_Tadame_…" he breathed, staring at the thing-a dull little kitchen knife-clenched in his right hand. Scully's eyes were wide too.

"I've never seen anyone move that fast before," she admitted.

"I ain't even sure how I done that," Jayne nervously put the little knife back on the table. "Please tell me that was a test."

"Yes," Carmichael smiled ruefully. "That was how my father tested me."

""You got your Intersect from your Pa?"

"Well…sort of…"

"Huh? Now, either ya did, or ya dint. Ain't any halfway on that."

"It's a long story, Jayne," Carmichael seemed to sigh. "And John Casey is part of that story; so I promise, I _will_ tell you the whole story later. Right now, there's one more test to do. Look at the wall monitor."

As Jayne looked at the screen, the photo of a man appeared on the monitor. Jayne felt the explosion of images and words behind his eyes, and the words just slipped right out of him…

"Senator Sudash Singh, born in Twenty-four sixty-five, son of shipping magnate Pradesh Singh…elected to Alliance Senate in Twenty-five Oh-three. He was in charge of Project Ghost which started in…oh _fuck_…"

"What's wrong?"

Jayne felt Scully's hand on his shoulder.

"Doc Simon's gonna wanna kill this Singh feller…" Jayne mumbled. "And I might be helping him…"

Project Ghost…What Jayne had just learned made him feel ill…

"Sudash Singh created the Academy," he continued. "Was his orders they done what they did to Simon's little sister, made her crazy. He called it Project Ghost, and they was takin' all the special kids, and makin' them inta soulless killers with no will of their own. Then, _he_ went crazy, started some crazy-talk of his own, 'bout a planet called Miranda…"

Jayne blinked, only aware now, of what he had just done.

"What the gorram hell was that? All of a sudden, I just knowed everything about this Singh feller; like I was a…a…supercomputer or something…"

"It's called _Flashing_," Carmichael said. "I was able to hack the entire Alliance database, all of their Security and Defense Systems. All of their secrets are now in your head, Jayne."

"All of their…" Jayne sat down, suddenly weak in the knees. "I got all of their stuff?"

"Everything," Carmichael nodded.

Jayne just sat there. All of the Feds' dirty little secrets were now in his head and Mal…

_What the hell is Mal gonna make of this?_

* * *

"You're tellin' me my Merc has all the Alliance's secrets downloaded into his brain?"

Malcolm Reynolds had thought he had gotten to the point where nothing could surprise him any more.

_Seems I was wrong about that…_

Jayne Cobb looked mortified, clearly wishing himself elsewhere; and it might have been funny seeing such a big man try to look small, as if he wanted to seep right through the smallest crack…

"So…" Mal began to cite facts. "You made my Merc a gorram genius with Math, science, and Languages; which was all very fine and dandy. But, you just _had_ to toss in that little bit extra, didn't you? Why the gorram hell did ya have to give him all the Feds' secrets the way ya did? Can't you see ya just painted a great big bull's-eye on my Merc's back?"

"It's _information_," Carmichael explained patiently. "And it's true that knowledge is power. Let's say you take on a new passenger, Jayne Flashes on him, and it turns out it's a bounty hunter, looking for one of your crew?"

The _Serenity_ crew exchanged uncomfortable glances. While not a bounty hunter, Lawrence Dobson had been hunting for River and Simon Tam.

_If we had known about Dobson from the start, things woulda been different. Kaylee might not have gotten shot the way she did._

"Okay," Mal nodded reluctantly. "Ya might have a point there. But how is my Merc gonna learn how to handle all of what ya gave him?"

"I can help him," River Tam spoke up.

"Uh…Mal…" Jayne looked just a touch wild about the eyes.

"Jayne," River's voice held a touch of asperity. "I'm not crazy anymore, and I am now in full control of everything the Feds planted into me. I can teach you how to handle all of that, because I have similar skills."

"Do it, Jayne," Mal spoke in his _captainy_ voice. "None of the rest of us have the know-how to help you any."

"I do," River smirked. "Besides, it's time for your dancing lessons."

"_Dancing lessons?"_

Jayne's brow furrowed. Then, just a second later, his eyes widened.

"_Dancin' lessons…_" there was a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"Precisely," River agreed. "We can start now. Mr. Carmichael's gymnasium is fully functional."

"Hell, yeah!"

The pair was off, running for the gym, and Simon Tam was standing there, looking as puzzled as Mal felt.

"Just what kind of dancing were they talking about?"

"Well…"Carmichael's eyes gleamed wickedly too. "Part of the Intersect Upload included a full Martial Arts program."

"_Tadame_…" Mal breathed. "They're going to be sparring all over my ship!"

* * *

_Note: All foreign languages courtesy of Babelfish; so please excuse any errors…_


	9. Chapter 9

**A Mercenary's Tale**

**Chapter 8**

Jayne Cobb was sitting in the Locker Section of Charles Carmichael's fully equipped gymnasium, feeling pleasantly exhausted. He had known Little Moony had some wild moves in her; but he had never thought he would be able to equal her in that, not in a million years…

The Little Bit had spun off at a crazy angle, foot lashing out to catch him in the ribs, 'cept her foot never even connected. '_Stead, some crazy images exploded behind his eyes, and next thing he knew, he was doing this complicated back-flip that took him out of range of River's lethal kick._

_Then, breathing hard, he had just stood there, eyes wide with shock. He was the big one, the __**strong**__ one. But there weren't any who expected Jayne Cobb to have the Little One's dancing agility; Jayne least of all…_

"Well, now you know," River Tam picked up a towel, wiped her sweaty face, tossed it to Jayne. "Thanks to the Intersect in your head; you have become the perfect fighting machine."

"Yeah, I guess…"Jayne wiped his face, dropped the towel. "Never thought I could bend and move like that."

"Well, that's what the Intersect does," Charles Carmichael's voice brought them both around. "It gives you what you need when you need it; languages, information about people you might meet, and how to deal with them, and fighting skills if necessary."

"Yeah," Jayne nodded. "But why did ya gimme all that? It's like ya made me…Superman or something…"

Carmichael sighed…

"Considering that the Feds must be looking for you," he said. "It's important that you have all the tools you can get to protect yourself with. Dana Scully made sure you have great wealth, which can help in certain ways. But, if _they_ find you, you'll have to fight your way out, and those fighting skills you just got will be invaluable in situations like that."

"Uh-huh…"Those reminders that he might be important to the Feds made Jayne feel itchy…

"That's not why you came down here," River spoke calmly, and Jayne could only figure her calmness was due to the fact that she had become used to being hunted.

"Yes," Carmichael admitted. "I've just made your Governors…"

Jayne frowned. Carmichael had mentioned them Governors before, some kinda device to help the brain handle the Intersect; 'cause the Intersect ran a little hotter than the brain could handle, and the Governor soothed the brain, made it easier to handle the Intersect.

_Wish I'd known all that go se before I allowed him to upload the Intersect inta my brain…_

"So…" Jayne said. "Just where are ya plannin' to stick these Governors?"

"Nowhere," Carmichael replied. "They're watches, so you'll wear them on your wrists, just like normal time-keepers."

"They water-proof? I like ta go swimming sometimes, and we all need ta take showers."

"They're completely water-proof," Carmichael said. "So, you can wear them all the time, even swimming or in the tub."

"Speaking of taking showers…"River had tilted her head. "We'll have to leave soon, so we should take our showers now. Captain's getting antsy."

"Mal was born antsy," Jayne grumbled. "We will have time for showers 'fore we leave?"

"You should," Carmichael grinned. "I plan on hiring _Serenity_ so I can go on an extended tour of all my business holdings. I intend to make it worth Captain Reynolds's time."

"Mal's got a…_thing_…'bout family," the Merc shook his head. "All ya got to do is throw the word, _family_, at him, and he'll let ya ride fer free."

"I understand, Jayne, and I won't let him rob himself on my account. Go and take your showers. You'll find everything you need, including clean clothes sized to you. We'll all be in the salon."

"Mal can get pissy 'bout bein' made ta wait."

"Don't worry, Jayne," River touched his arm. "He'll be even pissier if he has to smell us all the way back to the ship; as will everyone else, Simon included."

"Ya could be right 'bout that," Jayne looked down at himself. His shirt was sweat-stained all the way through in several places, and he knew he smelled plenty rank right now.

"Take that shower, Jayne," River spoke gently. "Soap and hot water will make everything right again."

* * *

The shower was hot, almost brutally so, and the soap and shampoo-labeled _Hers_-smelled heavenly. River Tam fervently hoped that _His_ soap and shampoo didn't smell quite as delicious, though, or Captain Daddy wouldn't be the only one feeling pissy…

Jayne Cobb hated all things _girly_, and floral shampoo would really set his teeth on edge. Taking a deep breath, River closed her eyes, focused her Reading abilities…

_Contentment…Sore muscles pounded into submission by hot jets of hot pulsing water…Clean, unscented soap and shampoo…_

She pulled herself out of Jayne's mind, finished getting herself clean. When she got out of the shower, wrapped in heated towels, she found fresh clothing laid out for her in the Ladies Dressing Station.

So, dressed, hair combed out across her shoulders, she headed back to the salon, found Jayne-likewise freshly attired-already there; shaking his head at Charles Carmichael and Mal Reynolds…

It was exactly as Jayne had said it would be; Carmichael trying to hire Mal's crew for a job, and Mal-as usual-doing his level best to shoot himself in the foot…

"Mr. Carmichael," Mal said. "You're kinda like a…Uncle to our Jayne, and it ain't right making family pay."

"Told ya he'd do that," Jayne groused. "Man complains bitterly 'bout every penny we spend on necessities; but won't let payin' customers _pay. _Then he wonders why we's always short on cash; an'-worst of all-he won't even let me _help."_

"You're money's your _own_, Jayne," Mal spoke sternly. "Ain't takin' your money to support my ship and crew, so-"

"So, you'll have to take _mine_, Captain," Carmichael interjected smoothly. "I mean, this is a legitimate business thing I'm doing, and it will be taking up a lot of your time."

"Captain Daddy," River strode up to Mal. "If you don't do this, Auntie Zoë will have your hide for garters, and you know that's true."

Mal sighed, clearly not happy.

"All right," he said heavily. "I got rooms free right now."

"That's perfect," Carmichael smiled. "One for me, and one for my secretary, Louisa Beckman. I'll take those at the regular going rate."

"All right," Mal nodded. "But these ain't like the luxury suites you're probably used to. The beds are good, and the water is hot; but if you're looking for entertainment, all we got is the Cortex in the Family Room. And we all eat together too…"

"That's fine," Carmichael nodded.

And, so it was that Louisa Beckman and Charles Carmichael came aboard _Serenity_; and Captain Daddy had yet more legitimate business, with a generous weekly rate for the two rooms…

All of that meant a better grade of fuel to power _Serenity's _engines, and a more varied array of foodstuffs in the pantry, fridge, and freezer; more real fruits and vegetables-fresh, frozen, or canned-more rice and potatoes, and…_real meat!_

That certainly pleased Jayne, who offered to cook Dinner for everyone that first night out. Jayne was actually a pretty decent cook-of the _meat-n-taters_ variety; and what he cooked up that evening, steak and hash-browns, was tasty and filling. River made a pig of herself that evening; it had been _ages_ since she'd had any sort of appetite-due to the meds she had been forced to take. Now, medication-free, she was able to enjoy every morsel of her delicious meal.

* * *

After the two new passengers boarded _Serenity_, Jayne Cobb fell back into his regular routine-sweeping and mopping the Cargo Hold every morning, the afternoons devoted to keeping himself fit, then-after that-keeping his _girls _fit too. He weren't so dumb that he didn't know why he kept at this…

The routine soothed him, made all the changes cropping up in his life bearable. He dint know how long this could go one; somewhere down the line, there would be the change which changed Everything. But, for now, he could continue with his sorta pretending that nothing had changed at all…

Sometimes, in the evening, he would unwind with some whiskey and cigars. But he didn't want it to be an every night thing. He'd known too many Mercs who had succumbed to alcoholism, didn't want that to happen to him.

So, when he bought his whiskey and cigars, he got the _good stuff_, made it a once-in-a-while treat.

He knew it boggled Mal's mind that Jayne, as rich as he was now, was still mostly carrying on as he always had. Which weren't to say that Mal's mind didn't need a good boggling every once in a while…

But, apart from that, there wasn't really anything Jayne wanted that he dint already have. He'd seen what other rich folk did with their money, and it was like to boggle _his_ mind…

Gem-encrusted pens, clocks, and other feng lee fripperies, mansions with hundreds-or thousands-of rooms, all just for one person.

Mayhap the Shepherd was right when he said that all was vanity…

But, _Serenity_ was due to reach Gaunt soon, and one of his favorite whore-houses was there in the main city, simply called Port; so Jayne was plannin' on spending just a little more than his usual…

That first day was spent on Carmichael's business. Mal had detailed Jayne to be Carmichael's bodyguard as he transacted his business there; and Carmichael-upon learning why Jayne was to accompany him, had smiled big and wide…

_Just like old times…_the man had murmured, and Jayne got that it related somehow to the long-dead John Casey.

Bein' with Carmichael was as borin' as old socks, and Jayne found himself wishing for something…_anything_…to relieve the boredom. But there didn't seem to be any violent folk in the circles Carmichael ran in. Finally, that business done, they came back to the ship, and Jayne learned that Mal had given his crew the night off to do as they pleased.

So, Zoë and Wash had locked themselves in their bunk-with stern warnings that there would be hell to pay if anyone came knocking on their door, Shepherd Book had gone to the nearest church, intent on doing Shepherdy things, and River and Simon Tam…

Well, the Doc was off with Kaylee, locked up in her bunk, and River was dancing in the Cargo Hold.

Jayne showered, trimmed his goatee, got into his fancy clothes, with just a hint of manly cologne.

Neither of his two favorites were available; but Elsie found a beautiful blonde who reminded Jayne a little of Helen.

Her name was Mary, and she certainly met with his approval; more because of the lust for life he saw in her eyes.

So, he bought a bottle of the house's best whiskey, and some cigars, bought a room for the night, then took everything, and Mary too, up to the room. On the way, he passed a large canister…

"Don't worry about it none, sir," Mary assured him. "One of the previous patrons in that room over there got things just a little…messy. So they's changin' the sheets and takin' the old laundry out."

"That happens sometimes," Jayne agreed. He set the key into the lock of his room, opened the door. There was this to be said for the rooms Elsie let out to her customers; they was comfortable, and pleasin' to the eye. So, he set the bottle of whiskey, the two glasses, the cigars, and his wallet on the table; right next to the thoughtfully provided ashtray.

"How're you feelin' girl," he asked. "We kin relax a bit first, maybe have sommat to drink?"

Mary smiled shyly as she guided him to sit on the bed, straddled him as she began to unbutton his nice shirt.

"Ya smell good," she said. "Not like some of these hundun who think they're all right if they smell like a cathouse."

"Mmm…" Speaking of smells, Jayne was drinking in her scent, all nice and floral-the way a girl should smell-when he heard the closet door behind creak open.

He moved, throwing Mary off him.

_Thunk!_

There were darts, looked like tranq darts, one in his neck, the other two embedded in his chest; and, all of a sudden, his coordination was gone, arms and legs turned to butter as he slid off the bed, onto the floor.

He saw Mary get gracefully to her feet as she turned to face the two blue-gloved strangers who had apparently been hiding in the closet this whole time.

"All right," she said. "I helped you get him, jus' like ya asked. Now, pay me."

Jayne lay there on the floor, able to breathe, but not much else. He couldn't even turn his head. He heard shod feet-one of the two men-moving over to Mary, heard the sound of a scuffle, the snapping sound of a neck being broke, and the sound of a body slumping to the floor.

Then, those shod feet moved again, and the man was back in Jayne's range of sight again, along with the first man.

"Get the canister," he said.

Jayne heard the canister being dragged into the room. Then, hands grabbed him, at shoulders and knees, and soon, he was stuffed inside the canister, kinda folded a little like them pictures he'd seen of babies not born yet, and the lid was clamped down, leaving him in darkness…

* * *

"_Captain Daddy!"_

Malcolm Reynolds jerked upright in his bed, not at all sure River's calling for him weren't a dream. The pounding on his bunk's door soon disabused him of that notion.

"I'm coming," he groused, as he fished a robe off the floor and put it on. He wrenched the door open, ready to vent his rage at anyone presumptuous enough to interrupt his beauty sleep.

There were tears in River's eyes, and terror too; which stopped Mal cold.

"What's wrong, Little One?"

"Something's happened to Jayne," River said. "He's in trouble!"

"He got himself in a drunken brawl, most like," Mal snorted. "So, he'll be sleepin' it off in jail, and we'll bail him out in the mornin', like usual…"

He turned, one hand closing the door, but he felt River's hand on his arm, and looked into the girl's eyes. Those brown eyes were steady…_sane._

"It's _them_," she said. "They took him. He needs us _now_."

"All right," Mal pushed the chills aside. "Get your brother, and have him knock on Zoë's door, let her know."

Now, he closed the door, got dressed quickly, ready to beat the snot out of the entire world.

"Sir!"

Zoë was waiting for him in the kitchen, armed and ready for anything. River and Simon were also there, and River also looked armed and ready for anything.

"All right, folks" Mal regarded his team. "We're heading for a whore-house, so everyone please leave any easily offended sensibilities _here."_

He paused.

"Mind you, Little One," he added. "If you're wrong, and Jayne's not in trouble, I'm gonna tan your hide blue, dong ma?"

"Yes, Captain," River bit her lip, and Mal ignored Simon's stunned expression.

It only took about ten minutes for the group to get to the whore-house, and they found it already in an uproar with three whores murdered, two bodies hid in the basement, and a third-dead of a broken neck-in the room that had been bought for the night by one of the house's best customers, Jayne Cobb.

As for Jayne, the man had gone missing, his wallet, whiskey, cigars, and the room's key, all left on the bedside table…

"Seems you were right, Little One," Mal spoke grimly as he surveyed the scene. It was clear that no one blamed Jayne for any of the three deaths, even though he _had_ been seen last with the latest victim, Mary.

But, everyone at Elsie's house knew Jayne, and his reputation, with the whores at least, was of the highest caliber.

So, little River was right all along, and someone had taken the Merc, and Mal didn't know anyone who wanted Jayne so badly they were willing to kill three whores just to get one man.

_Except the Feds…_

"All right," he roused his people. "River, you use your gifts to see how they got Jayne out of here?"

"Yes," River was looking about. "Everyone's memories show two men leaving with a large laundry canister; and…Captain?"

Her voice lowered as she continued.

"They both had blue gloves on…"

"Your Blue Hands Two-by-two?"

River winced at his choice of words, but nodded, face pale. Mal rubbed his face wearily.

"Okay," he grunted. "Can you track them to their lair?"

"I can try."

Now, the Little Albatross was Mal's bloodhound. Just outside the whore-house, she stopped and closed her eyes.

"There was a third man waiting just outside," she finally said. "He had a van, and they're going to the Spaceport. They're going to go off-planet."

"Let's see if we can beat them there!"

At the spaceport, Mal found a mislaid folder sitting on a stack of crates, picked it up. Then, he and the others simply followed River's psychic nose…

"You ain't allowed in here!"

A burly guard blocked them at the Special Vehicles Gate.

Mal heaved a put-upon sigh.

"Look," he said. "My boss sent me on this wild goose chase. Wants me to give this to _his_ boss…" here he waved the folder for emphasis.

"It's _my _ass on the plate if this don't get where it's supposed to go."

The guard scratched his head, nodded sympathetically.

"Thing is," the guard said. "Yer too late. They took off with their sick friend, and it's a good thing they had the Hopper."

"A Hopper?"

Simon Tam had asked the question, and Mal had to close his eyes.

_A Hopper…Damn…_

"It's the fasted ship in the entire 'verse," he said. "They're gone."

The folder slipped from suddenly numb fingers as Mal turned and walked away from the apologetic guard.

_Ain't any way Serenity could catch up with them; even if Kaylee burnt the engines to a crisp. They got my Merc…They got Jayne…_

All of a sudden, he was on his knees, retching his guts out, puking everything he'd eaten in the last day; all the stories of what the Feds did to their prisoners, and what they had done to River Tam filling his mind.

He felt cool hands caress his shoulders, looked up at River's face.

"I can track Jayne too," she spoke softly. "I can take you right to him if you allow me to pilot with Wash."

"We'll do that," Mal climbed stiffly to his feet.

_Ain't anyone gonna mess with me and mine…_

* * *

A pulsing headache brought Jayne Cobb back.

_What the hell?_

Memory was slow in coming. But, then he remembered Mary. She'd betrayed him to the Feds…

_Just like what I done on Ariel. But I was luckier than her. Mal dint kill me like he coulda…_

He'd been strapped into a gurney, metal bands on wrists, ankles, knees, elbows, waist, and neck, fixed to the gurney so tight he couldn't even wiggle.

Those blue gloved men…

_Tadame, they's Moony's Hands of Blue, and they got me…_

Again, he tried to move, tried to pull his wrists free.

Again, he failed.

One of them Blue Hands bent over him, and he growled, wanting nothing so much as to bite the hun dun's face right off.

"He's awake, Dr. Mathias," the man said. Another man, blondish, with a ferrety face, bent over him.

"Ah, Johnny…" the man smiled in delight. "It's good to see you again, after all these years. How have you been?"

Jayne heard the sound of a baby wailing in the background.

_They're keepin' a baby here?_

The doc guy-Mathias-produced a syringe.

"We'll need to run some tests," he said. "Find out how much damage that damned Hale woman did when she stole Johnny from us."

Unable to fight, or move, Jayne could only watch helplessly as Mathias injected the syringe's contents into his blood. As the drugs began to take effect, dragging Jayne back down into the darkness, the baby's crying following him, he was struck by one last thought.

_Little mite needs to be fed and changed…_

After that, there was nothing at all…


	10. Chapter 10

**A Mercenary's Tale**

**Chapter 9**

River Tam wanted to kill someone, truly and desperately. Ideally, a Blue Hand would've been best, but, right now, she would've settled for any Alliance Official. Out of all the people on _Serenity_ right now, she was the only one who really understood what kind of hell faced Jayne Cobb.

_They could cut into his brain, make him crazy the way they made me crazy…_

The thought of _that_ happening to Jayne hurt, and she shivered, sitting in the Copilot's seat, next to Wash. Scores of plastic dinosaurs grinned up at her.

"Are you up to this?"

Wash was looking at her, his normally ebullient mood subdued now that another of their people had been taken by the Blue Hands. She shivered again, and this time it wasn't fear.

It was _rage…_

"I'm all right, Wash," she brought herself back under control, thanking Charles Carmichael in her mind for bringing her back to sanity. She couldn't do what she had to do to find Jayne if she didn't have control of her own mind.

"I'm going to find Jayne now," she spoke again.

"Sure, sweetie…"

She closed her eyes, sent her mind questing outward, in search of one single mind.

_Jayne, my Jayne, where are you?_

That brought her up short.

_**My**__ Jayne?_

She had been with him a lot recently, sparring with him, helping him to learn how to manage his new abilities. But that didn't mean she had a claim on him…did it?

She shook herself. Now was not the time to dwell on semantics. She needed to find Jayne's spatial location and plot it out in her head in a three-dimensional matrix so she could plot the course for Wash.

Once more, she sought out Jayne's mental signature…

_There!_

He was unconscious, and all his dreams were of fear, flight, and a crying infant helpless in the night. But she had Jayne now, and was able to plot the course and heading for Wash.

"It looks like they're on Ma'at," Wash nodded. "I'll get us as close as we dare."

"I know," River nodded, and she suddenly loved the man, with his always-good humor, his garish shirts, and his ever-present dinosaurs. Impulsively, she hugged him, felt his arms go around her too.

"It's okay, sweetie," he said. "We'll get Jayne back."

She nodded, suddenly feeling very tired…

Her bed was warm, and she was exhausted, but sleep wouldn't come at first. She clutched a pillow to her chest, and now she was crying, and she didn't rightly know why…

* * *

Captain Mal Reynolds hadn't slept well the night Jayne had been taken, so, he was feeling distinctly unwell the next morning. But nobody else had either, and Kaylee and River were both red-eyed from crying into their pillows, no doubt. Scully hadn't cried, but there was a steely look in her eyes, a look matched by Louisa Beckman.

Well, there was a little bit of good news on this terrible morning. River had apparently tracked Jayne's mind to one of Osiris' moons…Ma'at. And Mal was sure he had heard that name before…

"Ain't that the moon Jayne was created on?"

That was Zoë, asking the question of Dr. Scully.

"Yes," Scully nodded. "So we know where to go if we want to take him back."

"Yes, we do," Charles Carmichael agreed. "But there are faces and ships I'm sure their Security has been told to look out for; namely _Serenity_ and her crew, and I'm fairly sure they would recognize Dr. Scully as Ms. Georgia Hale too."

"Then how the gorram hell do we get Jayne back?"

Mal couldn't explain it; this fierce need to get Jayne back. But there it was, like a fire deep in his chest.

"Simple," Carmichael said. "You let Louisa and I do it."

"Me too," Book raised a hand. "They wouldn't know me either."

"There's a way I can help too," River put in. "In fact, I think I can get them to willingly open the doors and let you in."

"And, how would you be able to do that, Little One?"

Mal was chilled by her answer.

"I'm sure they would let you in if you offered to sell me to them."

Mal put his coffee down.

"I ain't allowing anyone to sell my people," he spoke sternly.

"No one's going to sell River," Carmichael spoke scornfully. "This is like a…undercover mission. We'll pretend to offer to sell her, she'll get us in, and then we'll find Jayne, get him out, and come back."

"We'll need another ship," Zoë spoke doubtfully.

""I think I can get in touch with the _Lady Luck_," Louisa spoke quietly.

"The _Lady Luck_…" Scully's eyes widened.

"Yes," Louisa met Scully's eyes squarely. "The _Lady Luck_."

"Anything you want to add to this conversation, Dr. Scully?"

Scully looked up at Mal.

"That was the ship that helped me steal Jayne back when he was just a baby," she said at last.

"Well, "Carmichael said. "There's synchronicity, then. So…Do we do this?"

"I guess we do," Mal _hated _this, hated even pretending to sell a member of his crew…

"Captain Daddy," River touched his arm. "We have to get _in_ to get to Jayne. This is the only way."

"If you say so," he agreed, and then turned to Charles Carmichael. "One thing, Mr. Carmichael; if anything happens to my Little Witch, you and I will be having some words, words you might not live to profit from; dong ma?"

"I understand, Captain."

"See that you do," Mal picked up his coffee. Soon, they would be mounting an expedition to rescue Jayne Cobb.

Hopefully there wouldn't be any fatalities on the way…

* * *

Charles Carmichael-Chuck Bartowski-was getting ready for the mission; stashing hidden weapons in secret places, and it felt like old times. He could almost see the ghosts of his old team readying themselves beside him.

_Colonel John Casey would be prepping his guns-the bigger the better-and looking over mission logistics with General Diane Beckman, while Chuck looked at photos and Flashed on them, and Sarah Walker slipped knives into impossible-to-find sheathes…_

Sarah…

He closed his eyes, his throat tightening as the memories of Sarah filled his mind…

They had cried in each other's arms after Casey's death, blindly seeking comfort in each other. He had married her, given her the love, home, and family that she had never really had before. And, as the years passed, Sarah Walker Bartowski grew old, and Chuck didn't.

She died in his arms, old and withered, yet full of love and joy in her wedded state to Chuck. And he would've gladly followed her into the grave. But he had promises to keep…

He shook himself out of his funk. The reason for his promise had been kidnapped, was now being held by the Feds, in a lab on Ma'at.

He heard a gentle tap on the door, and River Tam opened the door shyly.

"I hope I'm not intruding," she said.

She sounded a little bothered by something.

"No, sweetheart," he assured her. "What's on your mind?"

"It's…" she hesitated. "When we were planning the mission, I kept on getting thoughts from you. It was something about…catching Jayne when he fell?"

"Oh," Chuck smiled nervously. "It's something about…well…"

"You don't have to tell me if it's too personal."

"Honey," he assured her. "I want to tell you. It all has to do with John Casey. You see, he was my protector for a long time, and he was always getting me out of danger. He always seemed to catch me when I fell. Literally too, at that…"

He would never forget that, being tossed off the roof, and Casey catching him by an ankle…

_I love you!_

_Keep it in your pants, Bartowski!_

"I never got the chance to catch Casey when _he_ fell," Chuck continued. "But, maybe I can help protect Jayne, maybe I can catch him…"

River's eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"It still hurts after all this time?"

"Yeah…" Chuck murmured, the image of a dying man wrapped up in a sleeping bag filling his mind. "He was brave, good, and true, and I miss him almost as much as I miss Sarah."

"It will be all right," River spoke with shining assurance. "We'll get Jayne back, and he'll be fine."

She bowed her head, looked back up.

"Louisa wanted me to let you know the _Lady Luck_ is here."

"Let's go then," Chuck offered her his arm, and they stepped out of his room, and went down to the Shuttle Bay. Louisa Beckman and Shepherd Book were both already there, both armed and ready. Louisa tossed a few guns to River, and the girl caught them with practiced ease.

"We all ready?"

Chuck addressed his rather motley crew. It was time for the rescue operation to begin…

* * *

Jayne Cobb awakened slowly, feeling cottony in his mouth and head. The baby was still crying out there…

"Ain't anyone gonna feed the Little Mite?"

He was still bolted down to that bed, caught like a fly in a spider's web, with those two Blue hands keepin watch over him; like they 'pected him to produce a miracle outta his ass and get free…

Then Dr. Mathias walked in.

"You're quite a surprise…Jayne," the man said. "Who gave you that Intersect Upload?"

Jayne clamped his jaws shut, and Mathias shrugged like it dint really matter…

"We were going to give you an Intersect Upload anyway," he said. "But we wanted to do a few other things first. Ah well…"

He poked a needle into Jayne's arms, began to draw some blood.

"You have very special blood," he said.

"Yeah…" Jayne sneered. "So special that I was told I hadta be grown in a test tube; couldn't be born natural-like…"

"So special you're immune to all known viruses," Mathias chided him. "Including the Reaver Virus. Now that I know you've been Jayne Cobb all these years, I've been doing some reading on your files."

"Anything in there ya like?"

"Actually, yes…" the man said. "Just after Canton, you hid in Sho Tung for a while. And the Plague hit the city…"

Jayne shuddered at the memory. Sho Tung had been a sizeable city before the Plague hit. After, it weren't even the size of a small village that many folk had been taken by the Plague. And Jayne, stuck in the city through the whole thing…he hadn't even caught a sore throat…

"You owe that to _us_, Jayne." Mathias nodded, smiling. "We made you resistant to every known virus out there. So, your blood is a little strange by human standards. I would call that a small price to pay for immortality."

"Immor…" Jayne had to clear his throat. "Yer ruttin' crazy! Ya make me in a lab, so I dint ever have a real Ma or Pa, and ya did all these feng le things ta me…why?"

"What do you know about the Great Diaspora?"

Jayne frowned at that.

"Jus' what the stories say, that we used Earth-that-was up, and had ta leave, 'cause we couldn't live there no more."

"All lies…" Mathias pronounced. "Lies to keep everyone, even the wealthy elite, in comfortable ignorance. What good would it do to let the people know that we were driven off our Mother Earth, like dogs with their tails between their legs; that we were driven away from Alien Invaders."

"Aliens…" Gruff guffaws burst from Jayne. "Ain't any aliens, they're just so much go se…"

"And Reavers," Mathias arched a wry brow. "_They're _go se too?"

"They're just men went crazy out in the black," Jayne shrugged uncomfortably. "Some folk say they stared too long in the abyss…"

"Ah…Nietzsche," Mathias looked surprised.

"Huh?"

"Never mind…"Now, Mathias looked disappointed.

"Anyway," Mathias continued. "I've been fortunate enough to do autopsies on the few intact Reaver bodies we've been able to find. It's caused by a virus. An _engineered_ virus with non-terrestrial DNA"

"Ya _made_ Reavers?"

"Don't be stupid," Mathias snapped. "We didn't make the Reavers. Actually, the Reaver Problem was partly why we created you. We intended you to be a weapon against the Reavers; which is why we incorporated the virus into _your _DNA. And, that made you immune to their virus."

"How the gorram hell am I s'posed to take anything ya say on trust? I know what ya done to Little Moony."

"_Moony…_" Mathias paused. "Oh…River Tam. Yes…Well, that was regrettable. But science is full of such dead-ends and sadness."

Jayne growled again, wishin' he was free so he could snap the feng le hun dun's neck.

"Dr. Mathias," a man's voice came on the intercom.

"What is it?"

Mathias sounded put-upon.

"Some mercenaries have turned up. They claim they have River Tam in their custody, and the want to make a deal."

Jayne's heart dropped right down inta his boots. They got Moony too? He closed his eyes, and now he could feel tears in the back of his throat.

"What an interesting turn of events," Mathias smiled. "I'll be back."

He left the room, and Jayne was alone with his Blue Hand guards. He could still hear the baby, not crying right now, but makin' noise like all babies did.

"Why d'ya got a baby in here?"

The Blue hands didn't say anything; and Jayne was left with his thoughts…

_Sorry, Moony…_

Jayne closed his eyes, wishin' for the darkness to take him so he dint have to live this life anymore…

Sudden gunfire shattered the silence, and Jayne's eyes shot open. The Blue Hands had drawn their weapons, exchanging nervous glances. More gunfire erupted outside, closer this time. One of the Blue Hands cursed, and they both slid out of the room, the door sliding shut behind them.

More gunfire sounded, right outside the door, and the sounds of bodies being thrown-hard-against the closed door. Jayne, as helpless as he was, could only listen to the sounds of the fight outside, and pray to a god he wasn't sure existed.

It was quiet now, at least by the door. Other gunfights were happening further away, but it was quiet right outside the door. And, as the door began to slide open, Jayne held his breath…

For a timeless second, nothing happened. Then a head topped with crisp graying curls peered into the room.

"Aha!"

Charles Carmichael-wearing black clothing studded with all sorts of weapons-darted inta the room, and Jayne could see the two bodies of the Blue Hands lyin' out in the hall…

"Don't tell me ya took care of them yourself," Jayne felt powerful relief course through his body.

"Hey," Carmichael grinned. "I've got an Intersect too, you know…"

Quickly, he got Jayne free from the gurney.

"Where's Moony?"

"Oh," Carmichael shrugged. "She, Louisa, and Shepherd Book, are dealing with all the guards here. Ready to go?"

"Gotta find the baby first."

"All right, we find the baby firs-"Carmichael stopped dead. "Baby? What baby?"

"Can't ya hear him?"

Little Mite was squalling now; all that gunplay of course. Speaking of which…

"Got a spare gun on ya I can borrow? I feel naked."

"Well, you _are_ naked…kind of…"

Jayne looked down at himself. All he was wearing was trousers, and they was thin and light, like hospital jammies.

"Just gimme a gun…"

"Here…"

Now, with the gun in his hand, he felt better; and he could follow the baby's crying all the way to the source.

The rest of the team musta been doing their job right. There was no guards to be seen on the way to the baby's room.

Inside the room, they found the baby, wailing piteously, with a full diaper…

"They made another one?"

Carmichael's eyes were wide.

Jayne ignored him, focused on the baby.

"Where are the nappies hid? Little Mite needs changin'."

He poked around in the cabinets, and Carmichael helped him. Soon, they found everything needed to do the job…

* * *

Chuck was enchanted. Seeing the man with John Casey's face expertly change a baby's diapers _was_ enchanting. Seeing those large paws gently stroke the baby's cheek, lifting the body with proper support for the head and neck was enchanting.

"How old ya think he is?"

Chuck looked at the baby, frowning.

"He couldn't be more than a couple of months old, I'd say."

"Just a Little Mite…" Jayne murmured, tenderness in him that Chuck was sure nobody had ever seen before.

"All the guards are dead," Louisa Beckman's announcement brought Chuck back to now. She stood in the entry, Shepherd Book right behind her.

"River Tam has captured a most interesting prisoner," Book said

"If it's Dr. Mathias," Jayne rumbled. "I really got to speak ta him."

"We're in the hall," That was River Tam's voice.

Chuck followed everyone out into the hall, and there Dr. Mathias was, River Tam right behind him, a nasty bruise over one eye. Still, he maintained his hauteur, until he saw Jayne free, carrying the baby in his arms. Then, all the color left his face…

"Ya growed him in a test-tube too, dint ya?"

Chuck remembered hearing that tone of voice from John Casey a few times; right when he was on the edge of a killing frenzy.

"Don't kill him, Jayne," he cautioned. "We need information. Like where they stored Casey's genetic material."

Jayne's eyes went to River Tam.

"Ya kin get that stuff outta his head, can't ya, Moony?"

"With pleasure," River nodded. "Along with everything else he knows."

"Then do it," Jayne looked a little freaked-out here. "Man spouted go se about alien invaders and how they was what drove us off Earth-that-was, and how they maybe made Reavers too…"

"I'll do that, Jayne," River turned to the now-horrified Dr. Mathias, a look of deep satisfaction in her eyes.

"Dr. Mathias," she said. "I'm not insane anymore."

She pushed him into the baby's room, leaving everyone else in the hall, and closed the door behind her. Chuck had moved to follow her, felt Jayne's hand on his arm.

"Moony's got ta do this herself," the big man said. "She's got the right."

She came out a few minutes later, features calm and unperturbed. Chuck looked inside the room, saw Mathias' body on the floor, neck at an unnatural angle…

"Ya got everything, Moony?"

"I drained him of everything," she said. "I know where John Casey's genetic material is stored. We need to sterilize it. No more Johnnies…"

"Yeah, but this one goes with us," Jayne held the baby close.

So River led them to where Casey's cells were stored, along with the magnetite ore from the drilling.

It was decided that they would induce a reactor-core breach. All that radiation would destroy any genetic material stored there. For Chuck, in a way, it felt like they were killing John Casey all over again, and _that_ hurt. But they would keep on making the clones, and those children thus created would suffer so needlessly…

So, the reactor-core was breached, and the gang took off. They were safely away before the core blew, spewing lethal radiation all over the dead, airless moon, making a funeral pyre for several guards, a few Blue Hands, and one Dr. Mathias…

* * *

Malcolm Reynolds was…antsy.

Unable to take part in the rescue, he had taken to tramping all over his ship. He had stopped by Jayne's weights table. He looked around; weren't anyone here to see if he made a fool of himself. So, he tried to lift the weight in the rack…

Not even close…

_Gorram showoff…_

He didn't know what else to do. Kaylee had thrown him out of the Engine Room; said his pacing was interrupting her work, and everyone knew how important it was that _Serenity's _engines ran smoothly

"Mal," Wash's voice came over the intercom. "It's _Lady Luck_. They're coming back, and they've got Jayne."

Soon, everyone was back on _Serenity_, and _Lady Luck _was off, heading off who knew where. Jayne looked a little less clad than was usual for him, a too-small jacket thrown across his shoulders. There was something else too; but Mal couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Uh…Mal?"

Wash's voice was hesitant.

"Where did he get the baby?"

So, Mal looked again, and Jayne _did_ have a baby in his arms. The look in the Merc's eyes said it all…

_Can I keep him? Please, can I?_

"We found him in the lab," Book explained. "They had made another clone."

_Tadame...A baby…helpless and totally dependent…_

He would have to think this one over…

"Mal…" Jayne spoke up, more than a hint of pleading in his voice. "He's kinda my brother, or my son…I ain't sure which, but he's my _blood_, my kin…"

"I gotta think," Mal was feeling panicky now. "Give me time to think on it…"

He wasn't ashamed to admit that he fled to his quarters. There, he opened a bottle of whiskey, poured a shot for himself, and tossed it back, feeling the burn clear down to his toes. Then the door knocked.

"Not now, Jayne!"

"I'm not Jayne," The Shepherd's voice came from the other side of the door. Mal heaved a sigh as he opened the door.

"Simon says Jayne, and his…son, are both fine."

"That baby ain't his son," Mal protested. "He's a clone."

"Just like Jayne himself," the Shepherd nodded. "But, Jayne also sees him as his son."

"That's gonna make things difficult," Mal muttered. :A baby can't live here. He'd do better on a farming world, with a loving Ma and Pa…"

"Thing is," the Shepherd looked at Mal. "We destroyed the lab where they had all the cloning material, the original's cells and all that. So, Jayne and the baby are the only ones left from this project."

"So ya think we should keep him here? This ain't any safe place for a child to grow up in."

"There is no other safe place for him to grow up in. Mal, they might give up on getting Jayne…maybe. But they will _never _give up on getting the boy back. They'll tear the entire 'verse to pieces to get him back, and you know that."

"What do you want me to do about it? I'm not a worker of miracles!"

"All this time," the Shepherd remained calm in the face of Mal's outburst. "All these years, you've said you wanted to be able to trust Jayne, to find something that would make him as much a member of your family as everyone else is. Now, of course, trust goes both ways, and I know Jayne's wanted to feel that he could trust you as much as you want to be able to trust him. Now, here it is, waiting on both of you…"

Mal sighed.

"The baby?"

"The baby," Book agreed.

Later, Mal found Jayne, now properly dressed in his normal tee and cargos, in the Family Room, on the sofa, feet up on the coffee-table, and Mal would scold him about that later, but not now. Jayne was dozing, head back, the baby still clutched to his chest, also asleep. Someone had given the baby a warm blanket, and now the Little Mite was scarcely visible, snuggled down in the soft folds. Mal could just see the top of the baby's head, and tiny little fingers clutching the fabric of Jayne's shirt.

"Don't wake them up," Kaylee whispered from the kitchen, waving a wooden spoon threateningly in his direction.

Charles Carmichael was helping Kaylee with the cooking.

"Dinner will be a little late," he said. "But, at least we're all together."

Mal heard the rumbling sigh. Jayne stirred, opened his eyes, and saw Mal. Quickly, he swept his feet off the table. The baby squeaked a little as he moved, and the sound reminded Mal a little of kittens and puppies. Jayne didn't take his eyes off Mal's face; like Mal held the key to Jayne's entire future happiness…

_Mayhap the Shepherd's right…_

"What are you gonna name the sprog?"

There it was, shining relief in Jayne's eyes, so shining and pure, it hurt to look at him. Jayne looked down at the Little Mite snuggled against his chest.

"Was thinkin' on naming him Matthew John, fer Mattie-who-never-was, and fer John who died all them years ago…"

He looked up at Mal.

"Was hopin' ya would be his Godfather…"

The Baptism was right after Dinner, Shepherd Book having said that all water was God's water; even if it came out of a tap out in the black. So, with everyone there, Shepherd Book took the wriggling infant in his arms, scooped a small cup of water and gently poured it over the tiny head.

"In His name, I Baptize you Matthew John Cobb. May you grow strong and upright in His love."

Jayne took little Mattie and proudly held him out to Mal, taking the time to show Mal how to properly hold a baby.

While all that was going on, he heard a whispered conversation between River Tam, and Charles Carmichael.

"You did it, Chuck"

"Did what?"

"You caught him when he fell…"

That didn't make any sense, so Mal looked back down at his brand-new Godson. Little Mattie looked up at his new Godfather with very blue eyes, spit up a bubble or two, yawned, then promptly fell asleep.

_That _was when Malcolm Reynolds knew everything had changed…


	11. Chapter 11

**A Mercenary's Tale**

**Chapter 10**

It was Jayne Cobb's turn to cook Dinner tonight; so he had spent some time poking around in _Serenity's_ pantry and fridge, found he had all the makings for a hearty beef stew. Now, with the stew simmering, sending delicious smells all through the ship, he sat at the table, watching little Mattie, comfortably ensconced in a brand-new baby carrier. The Little Mite was sleeping, and all Jayne felt was wonder.

Sure, the Feds had created him, but, for all that, Mattie was just a little baby. Simon had already given Mattie a full physical examination-albeit one with lots of tickling and cooing on Simon's part, and equal amounts of delighted squeals on Mattie's part. The upshot was that Mattie seemed to be physically in advance of other babies his age, especially in areas of fine motor control and neuron-muscular development; but he also said they wouldn't be able to tell how far in advance Mattie would be for a while yet.

For now, at least, Mattie was just like any other baby, needing lots of love from his Pa…

Jayne idly caressed the baby's cheek with a finger. In a way, he was scared. He knew all about the care and feeding of guns. But a real live helpless baby…he knew virtually squat 'bout that.

All he knew for sure was that he, and his fellow crewmates on _Serenity_, were all that stood between Mattie, and the Feds who had made him.

_Ain't gonna let them take you again, little Mattie. Ain't gonna let them to ta you what they done ta Moony…_

A lot had changed since Mattie's Baptism. First, after the Great Escape, they'd all gone back to Harvest, and Jayne finally found he had something to spend all his money on…

Mattie needed clothes, a baby bed, all sorts of baby carriers, and-of course-tons of diapers and all the other stuff like soaps and shampoos made 'specially for babies, powder and anti-diaper rash creams.

Well, Jayne didn't have a clue where to get all of what he needed. But Dr. Scully had known, and she was full of helpful hints on other things about the care of babies.

The other change was Mal Reynolds' idea.

"You're gonna need a bigger room," the man had said. "Your bunk ain't big enough for both you and Mattie…"

There were other Guest-rooms available, so he told Jayne to switch to one of those. The room, right next to Charles Carmichael, was larger, with a bigger bed for Jayne, and room for a bed for Mattie too. There was even a better space for Jayne's guns, and one of his first responsibilities would be to baby-proof all his guns. Mattie wasn't doin' all that much now, but babies grew fast, and it wouldn't be all that long 'fore Mattie was crawlin' everywhere, and getting inta things…

So, with all his guns stashed inta a safe place, and everything baby-proofed, Jayne could breathe easy; at least for now.

He checked the simmering stew.

_Soon, but not quite yet, _he added a pinch of oregano, replaced the lid,

River Tam had entered the room. She was sane now, but that hadn't stopped her ability to move silently. 'Course that had more to do with the fact she was a dancer 'fore she was a Fed experiment.

"Hey, Moony," he greeted her casually as he turned back to the table.

"Hello, Jayne" she was bending over Mattie, stroking his cheek. A chubby hand shot out, grabbed her finger.

"Think he likes ya," Jayne observed.

River smiled at that. Then he smile faded.

"I need to talk to you," she said.

"Well, I'm here," he said. "What's on your mind?"

"Ariel…"

Jayne gulped a little, feelin' the ground fall away under his feet…

"Moony…" he began. "I know I done wrong there, and there's no excuse for what I done. I'm _sorry_, girl…"

"So am I, Jayne," River met his eyes squarely. "It was as much my fault as it was yours'…"

Her dark eyes were sad as she reached out and touched where she had knifed him. Jayne flinched as her fingers traced out the scar through his tee.

"In a way, I _made_ you do what you did," she said. "If I hadn't knifed you, you wouldn't have done what you did."

Jayne thought back to that day, what he'd been doing when she did what she did, what she had said…

_You look better in red…_

"Moony," he spoke hesitantly. "Now that you're sane, I gotta know why ya done that. I weren't doin' nuthin' but cleanin' my knives…"

"I know," River closed her eyes, sighed. "At the time, I was so screwed up, so full of self-loathing; that is, when I wasn't completely psychotic. I don't really remember all of why I knifed you; except for the fact that I _wanted _your anger, wanted you to hate me, wanted you to hate me enough to hurt me. Sick, isn't it?"

"Well, it certainly weren't healthy…"

"So, Jayne," she laid a hand on his shoulder. "I am sorry for what I did."

"So am I," Jayne muttered. "Was scared for Kaylee too, ya know. I know Mal dint believe me when I said that, but I really was worried 'bout that."

"I know," River assured him. "I think Mal knows too, by now. Do you think we could start over? I mean, do you think we could become friends?"

"Think we already are," Jayne held out a hand. "But, startin' over sounds good."

River smiled, took his offered hand. They shook formally, officially ending an enmity that had actually ended ages ago…

Jayne turned to check to bubbling stew.

"Dinner's ready Moony," he announced. "Go git the others."

Dinner was a merry affair, the stew served with fresh-made dumplings. Everyone had a grand time; especially Mattie. He dint get no stew, but he got tickles and kisses aplenty, more than enough to make up for his not getting any stew. And, it looked like he liked his bottle of formula well enough anyway…

"I've got to say, seeing Jayne bottle-feed a baby is one of the last things I ever expected to see," Wash grinned at the sight.

Jayne could only agree with the little man. Holding his son, watchin Mattie chug down the contents of his bottle…that, right there, weren't anything he'd ever though ta be doin'…

Then, an alarm from the small Bridge went off. Wash cursed, excused himself, and ran for the Bridge…

"Uh…Mal…" he Commed from the Bridge less than a minute later. "You might want to come up here ASAP. Looks like we've got Fed company…"

* * *

Captain Mal Reynolds made his way to the small Bridge heard the others follow him; Jayne's wonderful beef stew forgotten in the sudden new danger…

"They after Mattie and me?"

"Don't know, Jayne," Mal focused on the situation.

_Firefly vessel Serenity,_ they all heard the communication. _Heave to and prepare to be boarded. _

"We charged with any crime?"

Mal looked at the screen, saw what was chasing them, and his jaw dropped.

Two dreadnoughts, four battle cruisers, and hundreds of single-pilot fighters. This was the kind of task force you sent into a major military encounter.

"Uh…"General…" his mouth was sandpaper dry. "We're just small potatoes traders. Surely you've got better things to do with that fleet of yours than to bother one small Firefly and her crew…"

_Serenity, _the voice over the Comm commanded. _Heave to, and prepare to be boarded_…

"They have orders to shoot to kill," River looked ill.

"If we resist," Wash added.

"No," River shook her head. "They have orders to kill all of us except Mattie John. They've been told he's actually Senator Jameson's kidnapped son…"

"Wash…"

"Got it, Captain," Wash nodded, face pale. "I am a leaf on the wind."

"I ain't gonna let them take Mattie!"

"Everyone find seats and get buckled in," Wash suggested. "This could get hairy…"

And Wash truly was a leaf on the wind, and _Serenity_ his perfect dance partner. But, Mal was fairly sure this could only end one way. He looked at Jayne, still holding Mattie so tenderly, such a fearful look in the Merc's eyes. Mal hated what he was about to suggest…

"You meant what you said about not letting the Feds take Mattie?"

"'Course I meant it! Mal, they's gonna do to Mattie what they done ta Moony. I'd rather see him dead than that."

Mal could see tears in Jayne's eyes as the big man spoke, protective hands soothing the whimpering baby.

But, Mal knew Jayne was right. They would do to Mattie what they'd done to River Tam, and-this time-there wouldn't be any brave older brother to do the rescuing.

_This is gonna kill Jayne, _he realized.

_Ain't any help for it…_

"That's what I was getting on to…" he felt bile rise up in his throat. "Think you can kill Mattie to protect him?"

"Captain! I-"

"Ain't got time to debate morality, Zoë. Jayne's right about what they'll do to Mattie if they get him, and I think we all know that death is better than _that._"

"Before we do any mercy-killing," Shepherd Book spoke up. "May I try something?"

"If you think _prayin's _gonna help-"

"It couldn't hurt," Book smiled. "But I have something more concrete in mind. Wash, please open all channels."

"Mal…" Wash looked at Mal.

"Fine," Mal shrugged. "Let's see what the Preacher man has up his sleeve."

Wash, still flying the ship like a madman, flipped several switches, handed the microphone to the Shepherd.

"This is the Shepherd, calling the Flock," Book spoke into the microphone. "The sheep are in peril, the wolves are at the door…"

Here, he listed a series of coordinates, then handed the microphone back to Wash.. Mal just stared at Book.

"Surely you ain't expectin' the _church _to help?"

_Serenity _shuddered a little.

"The Feds are firing at us," Wash announced. "They haven't hit us. Yet…"

_Serenity _continued her mad dance, dodging all sorts of missiles, shells, and bullets, along with the occasional blaster bolt.

"Oops! What the gorram hell?"

Wash hauled _Serenity_ hard to the right, just barely in time to avoid another…dreadnought that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere, followed by several battle cruisers, and also hundreds of single-pilot fighters.

_They ain't Alliance…_

Mal stared up at the newcomers. He didn't know their markings, and they looked sleeker, more powerful, and more _deadly_, than the pursuing Alliance ships.

_Alliance vessels,_ they all heard the ship-to-ship communications. _Cease your pursuit of the Firefly vessel, or we will be forced to take action._

Mal's heart was pounding in his chest, practically clawing its way out of his throat.

"They your Flock?"

"Yes, Captain," Book nodded.

Mal turned back to the view screen. The newcomers seemed to equal the Fed's taskforce.

_Mayhap we'll be able to get away after all…_

"Mal! The Feds are locking their weapons!"

Wash's face had drained of all color as he continued.

"They're all aiming at us!"

"Tadame…try to get us out of harm's way…"

"Mal…"Wash was looking up from the Pilot's Seat. "They're _all_ aiming at us. All the fighters, the battle cruisers, the dreadnought…they're locking _all _of their guns on us. There's no way we're going to survive this…"

That was when the newcomer dreadnought-the biggest ship Mal had ever seen anywhere-suddenly moved, looming over _Serenity_, sort of like an elephant looming over a mouse. Suddenly the view screen blurred and rippled a little.

"What's that!"

Mal gripped Wash's shoulder. The pilot looked perplexed.

"I think they dropped some sort of force field over us…"

Just in time too, as thousands of shells, missiles and energy beams streaked out; only to implode harmlessly upon the hastily-erected force field. Then, the strange dreadnought must've done something; but Mal wasn't quite sure what. All the lights on all the Alliance ships went out, The fighter ships just spun out of control, and the larger ships simply stopped moving.

"Sort of an EMP weapon," Charles Carmichael said. "Of course, the fighter pilots are probably going to die. But everyone else should be okay, if they take care…"

Mal nodded. He didn't like the Feds, and he wouldn't have mourned if they all had died, right down to the last man…

"Mal, we're being hailed"

_Firefly vessel, this is Admiral James Kantoh. Do you require assistance?_

"You can trust them," Book said, and River nodded too.

"Maybe we could…" Mal spoke into the microphone. "We're kinda confused right now…"

_Our Main Docking Bay is big enough for your ship. Would you like to come inside? If the Feds send another force against you, it would probably be safer with you inside and out of the line of fire…_

"Ain't that the truth…" Mal muttered. "

"All right," he spoke more loudly. "I've got folk about my ship say we can trust ya. Don't know the protocol for this though…"

_Same as any major Spaceport. We tow you in, That okay with you?_

"Uh…" Mal glanced at Book.

_Man never steered me wrong. If he says they can be trusted, then they can be trusted…_

"All right," he spoke reluctantly. "Looking forward to meeting ya…"

_Roger that…_

_Serenity_ shuddered a little as the towing beam took control. Mal watched as the Firefly passed by the dreadnought, looked at the lettering on the mighty ship's hull…

_CSDA-A-01 John Casey_

Carmichael was smiling as they passed by, and Mal thought he understood a little now…

"He was a war hero of theirs?"

"Not exactly," Carmichael continued to stare at the _John Casey_. "He was more of a legend from Old Earth."

"But ya said ya knowed him," Jayne protested. "Like he was an old friend of yours'."

"I did, and he was," Carmichael nodded.

"_How?_ Earth was more than five hundred years ago," Mal said. "You'd have to be-"

"Five hundred and twenty-seven years old," Carmichael finished wearily. "Yes, I was born on Earth, and that's where Casey died."

Mal turned wide eyes to River Tam. The girl rolled her eyes a little, possibly tired of always having to be the Reader…

"He's telling the truth, Captain," she certainly sounded a bit testy.

"But-"

"We're docking, Mal."

Wash's eyes were wide, and who could blame him? The Main Docking Bay was huge…

_They could put a fair-sized city in there, and still have room to spare…_

_Serenity_ came to rest in the reserved spot. Mal looked out the view screen, saw people waiting outside, so there had to be pressure and air in the Docking Bay…

"Well, people," Mal squared his shoulders. "Let's come out and thank our rescuers properly."

So, everyone trooped out to meet the crew of the _John Casey_.

"Sir," a man strode up. "I'm Lieutenant Jonas Thackeray. I'm here to take you to Admiral Kantoh."

"By all means," Mal nodded. "Take us to your leader."

* * *

Thackeray had taken them to a room just off the _John Casey's_ Main Bridge. River Tam found the room, all in creamy white with the _COMPACT _Seal in the center of the carpeted floor, to be a profoundly soothing experience. Perhaps it was the view from the left wall…

Either it was a gigantic view screen, or it was a stupendous window of clear plasteel…Either way, the view of the outside, all the starry void, was stunning.

_All hands_, she heard the voice over the intercom. _Prepare for hyper spatial jump…_

"You're kidding! They've got Warp Speed?"

Wash looked like a kid on Christmas Morning as he gravitated to the window, pressing his face against the pane. The voice on the intercom continued…

_Hyper spatial jump in ten seconds…nine…eight…_

All the others went to the window too, Jayne clutching little Mattie to his chest. Outside, the stars began to shift…

_Doppler shift…_

River's breath caught as the stars seemingly began to turn into long streaks of light. Then, they disappeared in a flash of light, and they were now in the hyper spatial Void…

"Ah…"Admiral Kantoh's voice pulled everyone's attention reluctantly back inside…

"We'll be out of harm's way before too long," he announced. "Welcome back to the Flock, Shepherd."

River laughed out loud at the way all the others stared at the Shepherd with wide eyes.

"You were all so sure he had to be an ex-Alliance Agent," she chuckled. "And, all that time, he was really working for the _Compact…"_

"Now, River," Book's tone was mildly chiding. "There was no way they could've known…"

"Okay," Mal nodded. "So Shepherd Book ain't what we thought he was. Like that's any great surprise. Ain't no one what we thought they were, our very own Merc bein' a prime example of that."

"Speaking of your Merc," Kantoh said. "Jayne Cobb, isn't it? The President of the _Compact _would like to meet him, and all of you."

"It's because of John Casey, ain't it?"

Jayne looked down at Kantoh's slender form as he spoke.

"Feds wanted to use me, and they wanted to use little Mattie here," he continued. "And I don't take very kindly ta bein' used, dong ma?"

"She just wants to meet you, Mr. Cobb," Kantoh assure him. "And we're in range for that now. Please, reserve any judgments for after…"

_Sir_, a voice spoke over the intercom. _We're ready for Holographic Uplink…_

"Proceed…"

Now, there was another person present in the room. She looked exactly like Louisa Beckman, but something far older lay in her eyes…"

"Diane Beckman," Admiral Kantoh intoned. "President of the United Compact for Earth's Recovery."

River frowned. She couldn't sense anything from this woman. She could sense Louisa's thoughts just fine, and she had already proven she could sense the thoughts of others at a considerable distance. She wouldn't have been able to track Jayne Cobb when he had been kidnapped otherwise.

So, there was only one possible answer…

"You're an AI," she blurted suddenly.

"Yes, I am," President Beckman said. "Does that disturb you?"

"No," River hastily replied. "I'm…_fascinated…_"

President Beckman smiled.

"On to Business," she said. "Thank you Shepherd Book, and Agent Carmichael and Agent Scully too. Your efforts have saved the progeny of a good brave man from fates worse than death…"

Now, she turned to Jayne Cobb, and the big man squirmed uncomfortably under her stern-eyed gaze.

"So, these are the clones the Feds seek…" she said.

"So what?"

Jayne spoke challengingly.

"They made me ta fight Reavers," he said. "Leastwise, that's what they told me. Ain't sure they was speakin' the gospel there, though…"

"Oddly enough, he was," River nodded. "I know everything he knew, and that _was_ one of the things you had been designed to handle"

"Of all the gorram crazy-"

"It's in your blood, Jayne," River spoke quickly. "According to Dr. Mathias, your blood can destroy the Reaver virus. But that's the least of it. According to him, an Alliance planet…_Miranda_… was taken by…Alien invaders. That's where the Reavers originated. It was the _Aliens_ who made the Reavers, and…"

Here she took a deep breath, scarcely believing what Mathias thought Jayne might be capable of…

"Dr. Mathias also thought your blood might also be fatal to the Aliens too…"

"Oh, my god…"

That was Dr. Scully.

"He's a Human/Alien Hybrid?"

"According to Dr. Mathias…yes," an image from Dr. Scully's mind had flashed into River's mind.

_Cassandra Spender_…

"Yes," River nodded. "Like Cassandra. But Jayne's better. His blood is the cure to the Alien virus."

So, oh my god, indeed…

Yes, Jayne's blood would kill the Reaver virus, maybe kill the Reavers too. But his blood also held the key to killing the Alien invaders; In Jayne's blood lay the key to taking Earth back from the Alien Colonists…

* * *

_Osiris_

Senator Maxwell Jameson sat in his Outer Private Office. He'd given the Operative orders to return ASAP, and the man-like the loyal dog he was-was on his way.

There was a tapping on the door, and there he was.

"Sir," he bowed respectfully. "I am here at your command."

"I have bad news," Jameson looked out the window. "The lab on Ma'at was destroyed, along with Dr. Mathias, all the people associated with Project Lazarus, and the cells from the original, John Casey. They induced a reactor-core breach in response to our capture of Jayne Cobb. Apparently he escaped, along with the only surviving clone. We tracked _Serenity_ down, and I sent a taskforce after them. But another fleet stopped us."

"Another fleet…"the Operative spoke. "The Browncoats rebelling again?"

"Not the Independents," Jameson looked back at the Operative. "This time I fear the _Compact _may be getting involved."

"The _Compact…"_ the Operative, of course, knew all the rumors about the mysterious _Compact…_

"Are you afraid?"

The Operative's eyebrow arched as he turned to Jameson.

"Should I be…" he asked.

"If you appreciate your liberty, and the liberty of the Alliance's citizenry," Jameson nodded. "You should be very afraid."

"Do you have any orders for me?"

Jameson had to hand it to the Operative. He wasn't letting any fears get the better of him.

_Of course, that could be a problem later on…_

"Yes," Jameson nodded/ "Keep an eye out for _Serenity_. If they turn up, I want them killed."

"Even Jayne Cobb and the baby clone?"

"They've fallen into the _Compact's _hands. Who knows what the _Compact's _inhuman science will have done to both of the clones?"

The Operative nodded.

""I'll get to work on that right away."

He turned and left. After he was gone, Jameson turned and headed into his private quarters behind the office, quarters only _he_ had access to. A body lay on the carpeted floor, directly in front of the desk, neck cleanly snapped. The man stepped around the body, walked up to a mirror, stared at his reflection.. His features shifted, blurred…

The Alien Bounty Hunter stretched languidly. It had been a long hard trip from Earth to here; and if his mission-the destruction of humanity before they acquired the tech to return to Earth and take it back-hadn't been so vital, he wouldn't have come here at all.

_We can't let them survive to return…_

The _Compact _was a worrisome thing; not least because they seemed to have technology far in advance of anything the Alliance had.

_Now, they also have Cobb, and the Baby clone; and those have our genes in their blood._

The Alien Bounty Hunter looked back at the real Senator Maxwell Jameson's dead body. He would have to dispose of that soon. Then he could concentrate on killing Jayne Cobb and the baby clone too…


	12. Chapter 12

**A Mercenary's Tale**

**Chapter 11**

River Tam was sitting at _Serenity's_ kitchen table.

_The pearl within the oyster…_

The little Firefly-class ship was safely hidden within the _John Casey's_ Main Docking Bay; safe from all those who wished the Firefly's crew harm. Further, thanks to the _John Casey's_ hyperspace capacity, they were all far away from Alliance-controlled space right now.

_So, for now, at least, we're quite safe…_

All her friends were at the Dining Room table too; Jayne Cobb trying to sing a fretting Mattie to sleep. It was such a surreal thing to see, and especially to hear…

Jayne wasn't really singing, per se. Rather, it was a deep, soft, and gentle rumbling hum that surely radiated through little Mattie's body; and River could see that it was just the thing needed to relax the little baby enough for sleep to take hold.

_He's a better father than he thinks he is…_

That gentleness she was now seeing in the mercenary was something she had never expected to see in him, and she was glad to be given that opportunity to see it. It made Jayne more real to her, more _wholeness_ in the center of his being.

Sighing with relief, Jayne set the now-sleeping baby in the baby carrier. Then, he looked at Captain Malcolm Reynolds.

"I know ya, Mal," he said. "Ya look like yer thinkin' on doin' somethin'…stupid."

"Well," Mal shrugged. "Someone's got to investigate what we were told about Miranda, see if the late, unlamented Doctor Mathias was tellin' the gospel when he told you about Miranda."

"He certainly believed what he said," River pointed out. "And the memories I got from him bear that out."

She repressed a shudder at her newly acquired knowledge of Reaver biology.

Zoë Washburne held up a hand.

"Why can't the _Compact_ do the investigating? _They've_ got the firepower to deal with anything bad there. We're unarmed, and…_slower_ than they are."

"' Sides," Jayne raised a large paw. "Suppose we find the Reavers there, and the aliens that are supposed to have made them? What in the nether hell-pardon Shepherd-are we supposed to do then?"

"Your blood makes you immune to both Reaver and Alien virus-"Simon Tam began.

"Yeah," Jayne interrupted. "But how do I use it? I ain't exactly keen on just lettin' them bite chunks outta me on the chance I'll make them get sick and die."

"Agreed," River nodded. "First, that's a very nice way to get you killed, and Mattie would miss his…Pa terribly. Also, barring death, it would be an incredibly inefficient way to go about it. Maybe Simon could find a way to synthesize Jayne's blood, and Mattie's too?"

Simon whistled tonelessly for a bit.

"It's doable," he finally said. "But not on _Serenity_. I don't have the proper equipment to do that."

"No need ta worry too much," Jayne shrugged. "Ya think the Pacters will allow Simon ta work in their labs, Moony?"

Simon interrupted before River could respond.

"Why do you still call her _Moony_, Jayne? She's not ill anymore, so I think-"

"Simon," River loved her brother, but sometimes, like right now, his over-protectiveness really bothered her.

""It's just a _nickname_," she continued. "Like _ge-ge, mei-mei_, and _Little Albatross_. There's no malice in it, and I truly don't mind. Let it go Simon, please?"

Simon huffed at that, but nodded reluctantly.

Mal cleared his throat in the sudden silence.

"Well," he nodded, turned to Shepherd Book. "What's the _Compact's _take on this?"

Shepherd Book nodded to Zoë.

"First, I'd like to answer Zoë's question," he said. "We do have the firepower, and we've got the hyperspace too. But its Alliance Space we're talking about and any incursion by us into Alliance-controlled space would be viewed as an Act of War; and we don't want that."

"We don't?"

"No, Mal," Book spoke gravely. "We don't. The _Compact_ wasn't created for the same reasons the Alliance was created; or the Independents. Our sole reason for existence is the recovery of the planet we all originated from. Our sole purpose is to take back Earth; make it ours again. I know you hate the Alliance, Mal. But there are bigger evils out there; evil that even the Alliance has been trying to fight, in their own misguided way."

"All right…" Mal sighed, and River could feel the palpable disappointment in Mal. She couldn't blame him, not with all the things they had done to her. She shared his disappointment. But Book was right.

_There's evil out there that would make even Blue Sun blush to look at…_

Now, they were facing the Reavers, and their makers, the aliens who had driven humanity off Earth over five hundred years ago.

_The same aliens who were responsible for a brave man's death, for his sacrifice all those years ago…_

She shared now in Charles Carmichael's grief, not just the long ago death of his wife, but John Casey's death, to keep from becoming a Super soldier…

_No…vengeance against the Alliance can wait. John Casey's death must be answered first, before anything else…_

That, she now realized, was why the flagship of the _Compact_ was always called _John Casey._

Because there were those who had known the man still alive today, and they needed to know that the man hadn't been forgotten over the years; that their years of lonely sacrifice would not be allowed to come to naught.

Shepherd Book continued to speak.

"President Beckman wants the engineers on the _John Casey_ to make improvements to your ship; with your permission, of course."

Mal sat up straight.

"What kind of improvements are we talkin' about here?"

"You engines, for one thing," Book replied. "If you really do intend to investigate Miranda, _Serenity_ should be equipped with a hyper-drive; so you can make that quick escape if you have to. Also, we would like to improve your Sick Bay, make it a true med lab."

Wash looked up, powerfully interested all of a sudden. Mal gave him a _settle down _glare.

"Mighty generous offer," he finally said. "But we probably can't afford the fuel, so-"

"It's just water," Book smiled.

"Huh?"

"Our superluminal drive doesn't use…fuel at all. It uses quantum fields to open…gates into the hyper spatial void. The Quantum Engines also snatch energy from all sorts of sources; Solar flares and winds, and ion storms, practically everything else too, including dust particles. So, as I've already said, all you really need is water."

"Sounds too good to be true…"Mal muttered. But River could see the truth…

"Let them do it, Captain," she spoke up. "Kaylee will _love_ her new engines, and Wash will get the dance partner he's always wished he could have. Further, we were talking about synthesizing Jane's blood a few minutes ago. Simon will be able to do that, and so much more, with the equipment they want to give him. There will be nothing in the 'verse that can stop us."

"Hmm…" Mal sat back, and there was that thoughtful look in Mal's eyes…

* * *

Mal eventually agreed to it, which meant another two weeks of enforced idleness for everyone. Not that Jayne Cobb was complainin' 'bout it any. They were guest aboard the _John Casey_, and the…accommodations were amazing…

_If only we could have beds and showers like this on our ship too…_

He had tried to fall back into his old schedule again, but this time there weren't no cargo hold to sweep and mop. Of course there was now a baby to look after, and he dint rightly know how to proceed there. But all the womenfolk said he was doin' fine, and he supposed he had to take their words on trust that they was speakin' the gospel there.

He also had his own physical condition to see to; and the _John Casey's_ gymnasium was the most incredible thing he had ever seen, and completely free to use too!

So, along with the pull-ups and the weights, he was able to include a daily swim in the Olympic-sized swimming pool there; and that, he was sure, was doin' him a whole lotta good…

While all this was going on, Wash, too, was getting some extra training along with Kaylee; her on the care and feeding of superluminal engines, he on the usage of same. Kaylee just couldn't get over it…

"They're simpler, Cap, and _cheaper_ too," Kaylee had told Mal. "It's true, what they said about it just using water. We don't need to buy any kinda fuel no more. Just find a lake somewhere, and fill the tanks with that for free…"

Mal seemed kinda pole-axed over it all, and suspicious about it too. But then his luck had been rotten for so long now, and the change to good fortune so sudden. Jayne couldn't really blame him none for bein' suspicious like that.

'_Sides_, _his luck could decide to change again; and ain't any of us can do anything about that…_

Finally, all the improvements were done, and it was time for test flights. Everyone, except for Wash and Kaylee, were on the _John Casey's_ gigantic Bridge. _Serenity_ hovered outside, dead center of the Bridge's huge view screen. Wash had been given a list of particular spots to find; sorta like an Easter egg Hunt…

Jayne could hear Wash giggling a bit like a maniac.

"Initiating Hyperspace jump…" Wash was chuckling like an excited kid now. And _Serenity…_well, the little Firefly was gone.

A few minutes passed, and then Wash's voice came back online.

"Reporting in at Objective One, and that's one ugly planet you've got there, if you don't mind my saying so."

"Yes," Admiral Kantoh agreed. "That's why we use it for these training sessions. It tends to stick in the memory."

"That, it does," Wash said. "Now for Objective Two…Tally-Ho!"

Pilot, ship, and engineer all performed without a hitch, and _Serenity_ was declared space worthy according to the _Compact's_ rather rigorous standards. So, Captain Reynolds was now in possession of a truly hyperspace-capable star-ship…

Jayne Cobb shrugged. He didn't understand the tech, and he was pretty sure Mal didn't either. But Kaylee and Wash understood it, and Jayne was pretty sure a Reader like River would be able to pick up the knowledge too…

Then, Mal ruined everything by being Mal Reynolds…

"We'll go to Miranda," he had said. "See if we can suss anything out."

"Are you nuts Mal? I can't take Mattie inta that!"

The idea of taking Mattie anywhere near Reavers chilled Jayne to the bone.

"I conjure these fine people wouldn't mind baby-sitting for you while you're away," Mal looked in Admiral Kantoh's direction. "Besides, the _Compact's _got to be the safest place anywhere for a kid to grow up in."

"Well, yeah, but…" Jayne shrugged, feelin' awkward all of a sudden.

"He's having Separation Anxiety," River explained to the others, pointedly ignoring Jayne's scowl. Mal nodded sympathetically.

"I understand, Jayne," he said. "But maybe we can make it a safer place for Mattie too."

"I hope we ain't goin' in over our heads…" Zoë commented.

Jayne looked at Admiral Kantoh.

"You'll take care'o m'boy while I'm away?"

"Gladly," Kantoh nodded. "I love kids, but my youngest fled the nest years ago."

"Don't let anything happen ta him," Jayne warned. "Or you and I will be having some words you'll regret, dong ma?"

"I understand, Jayne. He's the most precious thing in your life, and I will treat him as such."

Weren't anything Jayne could say to that. So, now, here he was, along with the rest of the _Serenity's _crew, heading off to pay a visit to a planet called Miranda…

* * *

Captain Malcolm Reynolds was feeling conflicted. The honorable soldier that lay deep inside him had resolved to go to Miranda, to see if there was a way to destroy the Reavers, and to see if what was being said about Alien Invaders was true or not.

On the other hand, the smuggler, petty thief, and family man wondered what the ruttin' hell he was doing embroiled in a feng le thing like this.

_We ain't military. We're just folks trying to make a living. Why the ruttin' hell do I keep on doing this to myself and my friends?_

But all the others seemed to be okay with this new mission. Charles Bartowski had gotten Jayne to Flash on Miranda, and the information hacked right out of all the Alliance databases, was grim. Included was a videotape of an Alliance official who had been on the planet at the time it-whatever it was-happened.

_That _tape had been hacked and brought up on the main screen in _John Casey's_ Ready Room; and the woman's report, about the citizens who had just seemed to fall asleep right where they stood, and the _others_, who had succumbed to fury and rage, was compelling, and horrifying; especially when the Reavers broke through to where she had hidden herself.

That was when Mal had ordered the screen turned off. Jayne had simply run to the nearest trash can and emptied his guts into it.

That tape had shaken everyone, the Pacters as well as his own people.

Then, it was time to go…

They arrived at Miranda a few days later, and Mal looked over Wash's shoulder, looking out the view screen. Miranda looked abandoned…desolate.

"There are…entities…down there," River Tam's voice brought them around. "They don't know we're here yet, and we must strive to keep them unaware."

"They wouldn't like it if they found us here?"

"No, Captain," the girl replied. "Their reaction would be…extreme."

"I could do without _extreme_," Wash said.

"Think we all could," Mal agreed. "Let's talk to Dr. Scully and Charles Carmichael, see what they know."

HR

"We should choose a landing site that's easily defensible," Dr. Scully had said, and Jayne could only agree.

_Bad enough we gotta deal with Reavers, but there's also them that made the Reavers too…And they ain't human by all I've been told…_

"'Bout them Aliens," he began. "Can they be killed like regular folk?"

Scully sighed.

"It's dangerous to kill them," she explained. "They have some lethal self-defense mechanisms, like their green blood. If that gets exposed to air, it creates a toxic substance that can kill. Some members of their species also seem to come equipped with a kind of…radiation weapon. But they _can_ be killed, if you're careful."

"Yes," River nodded. "A stiletto to a specific point in the back of the neck will kill them, make them dissolve into green goo."

"But what point in the back of the neck?"

Simon Tam looked at Jayne.

"I'm just guessing here," the Doc said. "But I'm thinking it's got to be the same place where we found that implant in your neck…"

He touched the back of his neck for emphasis, and Scully nodded.

"That's precisely the spot," she said. "And bullets will work too if you're a crack shot."

Now, her cobalt blue eyes regarded them all severely.

"The Aliens have the ability to change their form," she said. "They could look like any of us, and no one would be any the wiser."

"Huh…" Mal grunted. "Beginnin' to regret this…"

"Me too," Wash nodded vigorously. "Can we just…go…please?"

""No," Mal shook his head. "We started this, we finish this."

"Was afraid ya'd say that…"Jayne muttered.

"They might have all that special go se," Mal looked back at Jayne. "But we got a few things up our sleeves too."

"Yes," River Tam nodded. "We have Jayne Cobb, who is immune to both the Reaver and Alien viruses. Both he and I can very likely fight our way out of practically any situation; and I am a Reader, so if any Alien takes one of us and uses our form, I will know he, or she, is an imposter."

That was comfortin', after a fashion; but Jayne weren't entirely happy about it.

Mal took a deep breath, let it out.

"Okay Wash," he commanded. "Take us down."

"There are the remains of a large spaceport down by the ruins of a city," he looked at River as he spoke.

The girl closed her eyes briefly, opened them again.

"It's safe to land there," she said. "Also, the entities haven't noticed us yet."

"So land quickly, before the see us," Mal said. "No reason for us to push our luck."

"Right," Wash stroked a dinosaur's head for luck, then brought _Serenity_ down to the large spaceport, hiding the Firefly-class ship in plain sight, right next to several ships, some of which towered over the little ship.

And now they were on Miranda, home of the Reavers, and something far worse than Reavers, something that would only be satisfied if humanity was rendered completely extinct.

Right now was a very good time to be small…


	13. Chapter 13

**A Mercenary's Tale**

**Chapter 12**

Jayne Cobb was feelin'…itchy.

They was grounded on Miranda now, where the Reavers had come from, where worse than Reavers was hiding…

_And we's supposed ta go out there and…investigate. Mal's outta his ever-lovin' mind…_

He heard delicate footsteps behind him.

"Hey, Moony," he spoke over his shoulder, was rewarded by River's appreciative chuckle.

"You really _do_ know everyone by their footsteps."

"'Course I do," Jayne turned to see the Little Albatross smiling. The hilts of two katanas poked over her shoulders; and she was holding another-much larger sword in her hands, the scabbard casually slung over her shoulder.

"What are these?"

"Gifts from Admiral Kantoh," she held the sword out to Jayne. It was a heavy two-handed great-sword, and when Jayne took it, held it, it felt as if it had been made specifically for him, it fit his hands that perfectly. He felt River move behind him, began to turn…

"Hold _still_, Jayne," she snapped as she began to buckle the scabbard around his waist. Soon, she was done, and the scabbard lay flat against Jayne's back. He spent the next minute or so sliding the heavy sword into the scabbard and back out, learning how to draw as quickly as he drew his guns.

"I think you'll find it easier if you Flash on it," River suggested.

So, Jayne looked down at the sword in his hands, and willed himself to Flash. The essential information downloaded itself behind his eyes, and now he knew what to do. So, he spent the next several minutes working on what the Flash had given him.

After that, Moony challenged him to a spar, and so the spent the next fifteen or so minutes…playing with their new toys…

All through that, she was full of little tips and hints to help him merge the fighting style of that great-sword with all the other fighting styles had had assimilated through the Intersect Upload. That was when he realized what she had been doing…

"Yer keepin' me occupied!"

An eyebrow lifted at his accusation.

"Of course I am, Jayne," she nodded. "There's only one thing worse than a bored Jayne; and that's a bored and _nervous _Jayne. Captain Daddy will let us all know when he's ready to go out. Until then, we can train with our new weapons, dong ma?"

Well…What could he say to that?

Sides, he _liked_ the way that heavy great-sword felt in his hands. It reminded him of Vera a little; all brute power and force.

_Gonna need a name…_

He thought a bit as Intersect-trained muscles sent the blade spinning 'round…

_Maxine…_

He remembered the flesh-and-blood Maxine; how she had taken an uncertain boy under her wing, and showed him what a lust for life could bring.

_Clem took me to meet her first week I was with him and his gang…_

_This_ Maxine would put the fear of Jayne Cobb into anyone fool enough to mess with Jayne Cobb…

* * *

Dana Scully finished the last of her coffee. It was finally time to go. Mal left orders for Wash to stay on _Serenity_, and wait until he was needed. Everyone else-Scully and Chuck too-was to go on the expedition. River Tam and Jayne Cobb were both armed to the teeth; guns and knives poking out of various places in their clothing. But those…plentiful weapons weren't what made the others stare at the mis-matched pair so…

"Mei-mei…" Simon Tam's tone was hesitant. "Where did you get the katanas?"

"Admiral Kantoh gave them to Jayne and me," River replied. "Aren't they beautiful?"

"Ah…" Simon was clearly struggling to find an appropriate response.

"Doc," Jayne spoke up. "Don't worry any. Maxine here will keep y'all safe."

"_Maxine?"_

"Yeah," Jayne patted the large hilt poking over right shoulder. "This here's a right fine pig sticker, ain't she?"

Scully bit back the small grin at the look on Simon's face.

"All right folks," Mal Reynolds spoke in what Scully was beginning to recognize as his _Captainy_ voice. "It's time to move out, so everyone look sharp. I conjure _they're _gonna be out and about too, so we'll be needing to use our eyes and ears; ain't that right, Jayne?"

Jayne gave the Captain a withering glare; the kind reserved for idiots who persisted in stating the obvious.

"My eyes and ears are jus' fine Mal," he grunted. "My nose is fine too; it ain't ever failed me yet."

"So, if you whiff a rat in the works, you let us know?"

Jayne rolled his eyes at that.

"Yeah, Mal," he said at last. "I'll let you know."

Thus prepared, the party stepped out, onto this possibly alien-occupied world.

It was a dusty world, and the air had a musty, slightly alarming tang to it…

"Urgh…" Jayne muttered. "What's that smell? Ain't reg'lar dust, that's fer sure."

At first, Scully had trouble identifying the smell. Then, they found the first bodies…

River nodded as they all stared at the desiccated corpses…

"Decomposed hair follicles," she said. "And particulates from skin, scalp, and fingernails."

"I've been breathin' _corpse dust_?"

Jayne hurriedly pulled out a scarf, tied it about his neck, covering his nose and mouth, much like the Bad Guy Cowboys Scully had seen in movies back on Earth-that-was, when she had been a kid…

"Keep it down, kiddies," Mal ordered. "We're trying to spy out the lay of the land here. And we don't want the natives getting restless."

* * *

Jayne felt better now that he had the scarf on.

_Ain't breathin' any corpse dust…_

Now, he looked down at the bodies, and there was something 'bout it dint sit quite right.

Each body lay comfortable-like on the ground, curled up in poses of peaceful repose, and Jayne felt the hackles on the back of his neck rise at the horror of it…

"Ain't any violence done here, Mal," he muttered. "Looks like these folk went ta sleep right where they was…"

Moony had closed her eyes, and Jayne figured she was doin' her Reader act, so he kept himself quiet, in body and mind as best he could while she was at it. When she opened her eyes again, she looked like to vomit at what she had learned.

"Do not drink the water," she said. "Or eat any of the food here."

"Drugged?"

"No, Captain," River answered Mal's question. "Dr. Matthias was correct in his suspicions. The water and all the food was genetically modified to create the Reaver virus by the aliens who came here for that purpose. I can sense them here. They haven't sensed me yet, thank god…"

"Also," she glanced at Jayne. "We may want to follow Jayne's example and muffle our faces. The…corpse dust is really full of particles of human waste, and _that _has the Reaver virus too."

"Ew…" that was Charles Carmichael quickly pulling out a scarf and masking his face.

Jayne looked down on the bodies lyin' there.

"They dint all become Reavers, did they?"

"No," River's eyes regarded him gravely from above her scarf. "The majority died. Actually, only about ten percent of the total population of Miranda became Reavers. But the genetic coding which created Reavers also contains an over-riding imperative to reproduce, and there are two main ways for a Reaver to satisfy this imperative. For female Reavers, rape usually suffices; although I'm horrified at what motherhood might be like for them. Males, however, usually pass on the condition by _biting_ the victim. Their saliva contains the virus too…"

_Jus' like that poor sod we found on that ship once. Mal done him a kindness, breaking his neck like that…_

Jayne looked around, all his senses questing, probing. The Spaceport they was on now looked, and felt, completely deserted…

"Ain't anyone here, Mal," he said. "But Moony's intel has left us with a problem. We can't go too far or deep, 'cause we can't live off the land, or use the water here. I ain't even sure if the game I could hunt here would be safe ta eat."

"It isn't," River said. "Everything alive here is rife with the Reaver virus, except for us."

"We all have water from _Serenity's_ new water tanks," Shepherd Book said. "Also, the swords weren't Admiral Kantoh's only gifts. We have enough travel rations with us to last for at least two weeks, and there's more on _Serenity_…"

So, they were as prepared for this mission as anyone really could be…

Jayne admitted to bein' a little disappointed here.

_We coulda gone back ta the ship and just left this behind us…_

Now, he snorted.

_With Mal in charge? _

Once Mal got a bee in his bonnet, he always stuck with it to the bitter end.

_And the man calls __**me**__ stubborn…_

_Well…no choice for it but to go onward…_

HR

Dana Scully was walking by Jayne Cobb's side. She absently noted that River Tam had taken up position of the hulking mercenary's other side.

_Is River aware of why she's doing that? _

The human mind was a rare and wonderful thing, and it was clear to Scully-even if to no one else-that the girl was beginning to have…feelings…for Jayne. Jayne seemed to be blithely oblivious about it all…

_Should I tell him? No…He would be horrified, and that would do more harm than good…_

Besides, it wasn't her place to do this, she realized. She loved Jayne dearly. But, as she had already said, the _Serenity_ crew knew him better.

_Maybe I can talk to Captain Reynolds about this…_

Nodding to herself, she stepped back a few paces until she was walking by Mal Reynolds' side,

"Dr. Scully," the man nodded in acknowledgement. "Interesting day we're havin' ain't it?"

"I suppose so," Scully took a breath, let it out. "Have you noticed the way River Tam is when she's with Jayne?"

"As crazy as it sounds," Mal snorted. "He's the only one near her age. They've been getting along real well of late too…"

"Yes," Scully nodded. "That's exactly my point."

Mal looked at his two Problem Children, sudden understanding in his eyes.

"Has Jayne said, or done anything…improper?"

"No, Mal. I'm not even sure he realizes yet."

"So…it's _River_," Mal narrowed his eyes as he looked at the girl. "That just might explain all the teasin'…"

"Teasing?"

"Before everything…changed, the Little Witch was a mighty thorn in my Merc's side," Mal explained. "Always with the practical jokes; and I guess we never figured _that_ was the reason behind it all."

"What can we do about it? Jayne may look big, strong, and mean. But he really is only fifteen years old."

"You know," Mal spoke reflectively. "He's been in the habit of visiting his whores for a long time now, so if it's his _virginity_ you're worried about…"

"No," Scully closed her eyes, deep pain in her heart. "I guess I didn't really think things through when I…did what I did to him. But I didn't really have a choice at the time. _They_ were getting too close. I damaged Jayne, as surely as the people in River's Academy damaged her; and there's no way for me to undo what I did to Jayne. He'll never be a normal person because of what I did."

"Neither will River Tam, really," Mal was regarding his Merc, and the girl next to him, un unaccustomed sadness in his eyes. He sighed, rubbed his eyes over his scarf.

"I'll find a way to chaperone our Problem Children," he finally said. "It'll be as awkward as hell, but I'll manage it."

Just then, the above-mentioned Problem Children halted suddenly, Jayne holding up a peremptory hand.

"Somethin's comin'," was all he said

* * *

Simon Tam held still, panic sliding along his arms and legs. Everyone had guns out, and River was standing stock-still, barely seeming to breathe

"It's a human woman," she finally said. "And she's being followed. By aliens."

"Okay," Jayne rumbled. "Someone's gotta take care of the woman. Moony and I will handle the aliens. We gotta stick them in the back of the neck, right?"

"Yes," Scully nodded. "Is the woman coming this way?"

"What the hell is someone doing here anyway?"

"She's a reporter, Captain Daddy," River answered Mal's question. "Got more story than she expected. Also, she is coming our way, and will be here momentarily."

"Everyone hide," Mal ordered.

Simon Tam pressed himself against a wall in the long-deserted spaceport as everyone else did the same. A woman appeared only a few minutes later. Of middling age, she was almost running, looking over her shoulder constantly, as if afraid of pursuit.

The three men who followed after looked completely human. But there was…_something…_about them that made Simon's skin crawl. Maybe it was the complete lack of emotion in their faces…

At a whispered command from Mal, Shepherd Book darted forward, and grabbed the woman, pulling her off to the side. The three men stopped at her surprised yelp. That was when River Tam and Jayne Cobb stepped forward…

"Everyone else fall back!"

Mal gave the order, and the rest of the group fell back, leaving enough room for River and Jayne to do whatever needed to be done…

Simon's breath caught as River just…flipped…over the three men, a dagger in each hand. Two of the men went down, a dagger-hilt protruding from each neck. Then, she darted out and away, leaving the third to Jayne Cobb…

The mercenary stood there, hunting knife in his hand, grinning a cocky grin. The other man moved, so quickly that he seemed to blur. Jayne's eyes flickered a little, then he, too, became a whirling blur of motion. It was over in seconds. Jayne stood over the motionless corpse of his victim; knife hilt embedded in the man's neck; and green…_stuff_…was seeping out of the wound…

Simon stared at the sight, paralyzed by disbelief. The three men were bleeding _green…_

Their bodies were melting too; the fizzing green…blood…breaking the bodies down into little puddles of green goo…

"Oh, thank god for you all," the woman said. "If not for you, they would've killed me."

Simon realized he knew who she was. River was right. He had watched her news shows all the time; before he'd had to rescue River from the Academy…

"Elizabeth Cho! What are you doing here? I watched your show all the time."

"She's a gorram news reporter?"

Right now, Jayne looked disgusted.

"We done all that for a Core News Reporter?"

"She has news for _us_, Jayne," River reprimanded him. "She didn't come here to take a Spring Vacation."

"No," Cho shuddered. "I came here to investigate rumors of something the Alliance may have done."

"You're investigating the _Alliance?"_

Mal's eyes went wide.

"Yes," Cho shrugged. "Someone's got to keep our government honest."

"Hah!"

Cho glared at Mal.

"Do you want the story or not?"

"Please forgive Malcolm Reynolds," River spoke courteously. "He harbors a grudge of long standing against the Alliance. We would love to hear what you have to tell us."

"All right," Cho was apparently mollified. "I had managed to sneak into St. Catharine's on Ariel. You ever heard of it?"

"It's the premiere private treatment center for mental illness in the entire Alliance," Simon said. "Why would you go there?"

"Because that's where they have Senator Sudash Singh," Cho replied. "I managed to talk to him, and he said it was all due to a drug that Alliance people had put in the water. I believed him and came here to investigate. Now, though…I'm not so sure…"

She was staring at the puddles of green slush that were beginning to harden

"Those weren't Reavers, were they?"

"Nope, Ms. Cho," Mal replied. "But, I'm thinkin' we've been going about this the wrong way."

"No foolin…" Jayne muttered. "So, what are we s'posed to do now?"

A horrible thought occurred to Simon.

"You're not thinking of going to Ariel, are you?"

"Senator Sudash Singh may have more bats in his belfry than Count Dracula," River Tam spoke up. "But, he will have answers too. I remember him, and he wasn't insane to start with. He was misguided, and wrong, yes. But not insane to start with."

"Who de mah," Mal breathed. "You ain't suggesting what I think you're suggesting. Are you?"

"I think someone _made_ him insane," River nodded. "If I can do a deep Reading on him, we might be able to find out who, and why. I'm sure Ms. Cho will be happy to give whatever assistance she can."

"Yes," Cho nodded vigorously. "I'll help you any way I can. Let's just get off Miranda. I don't know what those three men were, but-"

"Aliens," Charles Carmichael said. "They're non-human invaders, and they've finally come here to finish what they started back on Earth. The mean to finish us off. For good, this time."

"If you say," Mal nodded, and it was pretty clear to Simon that Mal wasn't entirely sold on the idea of alien invaders.

"Let's get back _Serenity,_" Mal said. "We can regroup, and decide what to do next from there."

They all got back to the ship without any problems. But, after liftoff, Wash summoned Mal to the Bridge…

"Looks like we're being chased," he told Mal.

Mal cursed as he looked at the view screen. Yep…there where what looked like seven flying saucers out there, and they were all after the little Firefly-class vessel…

"Can't you go into hyperspace, Wash?"

"I could," Wash shrugged uncomfortably. "But the Pacters told me that going superluminal in a planetary gravity-well would do catastrophic things to a planet's ecology."

"Hate to point this out to ya," Jayne cut in. "But Miranda's got _Aliens_ that bleed green, and Reaver-makin' viruses. Think their ecology is already borked to hell and beyond."

"Mal?"

"Could be a sign the Apocalypse is nigh, as Jayne is actually right," Mal sighed. "Wash…it's us or them."

"Yes, sir," Wash took a deep breath, patted a dinosaur's head for reassurance, plotted a quick course, then pressed a button. _Serenity's_ brand-new engines took over…

_Serenity_ tore a huge rent in Miranda's atmosphere as she bent space around her and fled into the hyper spatial void…

The event was a cataclysmic one for Miranda, and for the alien invaders…

First, the seven pursuing ships were caught in _Serenity's_ backwash. Spinning out of control, they all collided into each other. The massive fireball came down upon the long-deserted spaceport, igniting the still-full fueling stations, destroying all the rusting hulks of ships out on the docking yard.

The resulting conflagration could be seen miles away. But that was only the beginning…

Hyper spatial travel works by distorting space and time around the ship. In space, there isn't enough matter to be impacted by the distortion. On a planet, though…

The very atmosphere _rippled_ with the space/time distortion, creating thousands of Super Storms, that each gave birth to thousands of tornados; these quickly spread across the face of the planet, pummeling the hell out of Miranda's secret inhabitants…

* * *

Mal Reynolds was sitting in the kitchen, now that everyone was safely away from Miranda. He had to admit he was finally beginning to get a touch over-whelmed.

It had been bad enough when all he had to worry about where the Feds. But he had seen aliens-nonhuman sentient beings-die today; their bodies decomposed into green gunk right before his eyes.

"We do need to talk to Senator Sudash Singh," River Tam walked into the kitchen.

She had grown since Charles Carmichael had cured her, becoming a capable young woman, and Mal's throat tightened with a pride in her so strong it almost brought tears. River's answering smile was brilliant as she hugged him tightly.

"Thank you Captain Daddy," her voice trembled just a little.

Mal _huffed_, and patted her on the shoulder.

"It's your turn to cook Dinner, Little One. So, no Core delicacies, please…"

"How about tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches? I'm not much of a cook yet, but Kaylee taught me how to do those."

Dinner was simple, delicious, and filling. Mal watched as River interacted with the crew; especially Jayne…

_Yep…_he thought to himself, glad Scully had alerted him to what was going on between River and Jayne.

_Don't know if the Little Albatross knows it yet, but she's got__** something**__ for my Merc…_

As for Jayne Cobb…

He wasn't doing anything to encourage the girl. But, once or twice, Mal caught a puzzled look in the mercenary's eyes; like he knew something was up, but not really sure what just yet…

Mal felt completely torn on the matter.

On the one hand, Jayne _looked_ like a man nearing forty, and River was right on the cusp of eighteen. And Mal had to quell the instinctive judgment…

_No forty-year-old should be looking at an eighteen-year-old…_

But, despite appearances, Jayne_ wasn't_ a forty-year-old. He wasn't even eighteen yet. He was _fifteen_ years old, and now that Mal thought on it, had had the time to live with the notion, he could actually _see_ that the mind occupying that big strong body was the mind, and the soul too, of a fifteen-year-old boy.

So, as unlikely as it felt, it was _River _he was going to have to give that _Special Hell_ talk to.

Mal sighed…

_Why can't things ever be easy?_

They had learned squat and diddly from Miranda. Maybe Ariel would give them answers.

_Maybe Senator Sudash Singh will have enough sanity left to tell us something. Even a little of something would be better than nothing, wouldn't it?_


	14. Chapter 14

**A Mercenary's Tale**

**Chapter 13**

They dint go ta Ariel right away. First there was a baby to pick up, and when Jayne Cobb finally received little Mattie-direct from Admiral Kantoh's arms, he finally felt that the whole family was truly together. His first fear was that Mattie might've forgotten about Jayne entirely, and chosen Kantoh for his new Pa. He might as well not have worried…

Even before he got the Little Mite back in his arms, the baby had sure reacted to the sound of his voice, and when he got Mattie back in his arms, somethin' about how the baby settled right down let Jayne know Mattie hadn't forgot him. River Tam had told him that Mattie had…_parent-bonded_ with him; possibly right from the very start.

_Mebbe it's 'cause we're kinda the same blood…_

Both of them bein' clones and all, of the same guy, Jayne figured it might be because they was…genetically…the same person.

All he knew was that the trust he saw in Mattie's eyes was balm for his soul. All these years, and he had never known what _love_ felt like. Lust, anger, and all the others he knew 'bout just fine. But love…where ya jus' want to protect the Loved One from anything that might hurt him or her; where you're willing ta sacrifice anything and everything for the one ya love…he'd never felt _that_ before. Until he had held Mattie-his son-in his arms…

Mattie had already been fed and changed-the folks on the _John Casey_ sure hadn't neglected him. But Jayne jus' felt a whole lot better with Mattie here on _Serenity._

_Home…_

So, Jayne carried Mattie, sleeping comfortably in the baby carrier, down to the kitchen, where everyone else was congregated around the big dining table; ready to strategize for the next…mission.

_Ariel…_

Jayne had already apologized to River, and she to him. But the thought of going back _there_, to the scene of the crime, as it were, jus' made him feel itchy.

"Don't think we're gonna be able ta sneak in the way we done last time," he spoke doubtfully.

"I've worked at St. Catherine's before."

"Huh?"

Jayne brought his gaze to Scully, startled by her announcement. She smiled and patted his hand.

"I'm a medical doctor," she said. "But I also have extensive experience with mental illness, so St. Catherine's was a good fit for me."

"So…" Mal drawled. "We have someone here who knows her way around the place. How about Elizabeth Cho? She said she was able to sneak into the Senator's room."

"She's lying down right now," Simon Tam said. "She's feeling poorly; a very bad headache. But she did write down the number of the Senator's hospital suite."

"A _suite…"_ Jayne's brow furrowed. "He's got a suite like in a ritzy hotel?"

"St. Catherine's is a private psychiatric treatment center for the wealthy elite," Scully spoke crisply. "The cost is exorbitant, and the amenities are entirely in tune with the cost."

Jayne curled his lip at that. He had seen what the hospitals for regular folk were like, the crowding, the over-worked and underpaid staff…

"People…" that was Mal's _captainy_ voice. "Let's focus on the task ahead of us; save the political subtext for later, dong ma?"

* * *

River Tam wiped the smile off her face. Jayne's opinion of rich folk-especially _core-bred_ rich folk-was plain to be read on his face; and never mind what she could pick up from his mind. It was the main reason why he had disliked her brother, Simon, so much initially. It had taken a long time for Jayne to get over his inbred dislike of what he perceived as Simon's Core-bred stuffiness and hauteur.

Simon, too, had had a lot of preconceived notions to unlearn; especially concerning Jayne Cobb…

_The Man-ape gone wrong…_

Well…Simon wasn't an arrogant Core-bred dickweed, and Jayne wasn't a dumb ape; a fact both men were now beginning to realize. A cautious friendship had even started between the two, based on an appreciation of their very real talents and abilities.

River was glad of it. It made her feelings for both of them that much easier to handle.

"All right," Mal continued, still speaking in his Captainy Voice. "We need to find a way to get the Little Albatross into the place without setting off any alarms; and getting back out again would be nice too. Also, we won't be wanting a replay of what went down the last time we were in the area; ain't that right, Jayne?"

"With ya on that one, Mal," Jayne spoke earnestly. As usual, whenever the subject of Ariel came up, River felt a miasma of guilt and shame well up in the Merc.

"Thing is," Jayne spoke again. "I ain't sure how we're gonna get in. Ain't any of us rich-'Cept me-and I ain't sure how to act crazy."

Simon barely repressed a snort, and River caught a clear thought from him.

_He's plenty crazy in his own way…_

"Hey," Charles Carmichael spoke up. "I'm rich too, you know. _Orion Enterprises_, remember? That's my company, and I'm the sole owner. Also, I bet I could fake crazy just fine. I've come close enough, for realzies, that I have a pretty good idea how to act."

"Further," Scully put in. "If I'm his personal physician, I could admit him, and if we all say he's sedated, he wouldn't even have to act. He could just lay there, and pretend to sleep."

Mal nodded.

"Jayne's the ambulance driver and bodyguard, 'cause that's what he does best; Louisa Beckman and the Little Witch could go in as nurses. We already know what Dr. Scully's role will be. That sounds like a plan."

"What about the rest of us?"

"Hell," Jayne grunted. "This is one of _Mal's_ plans, so ya'll can wait until it hits the fan; 'cause we might be needin' rescuin'."

River followed her brother back into Sickbay. Elizabeth Cho was waiting there.

"Ms. Cho. Why aren't you lying down?"

"My head is killing me, Dr. Tam," Cho rubbed her temples mournfully. "It won't let me sleep."

"Okay," Simon rooted around in the medicine cabinet. "How about a smoother?"

"Pain relief and sleep…" Cho nodded thoughtfully. "I'll take it, thank you very much."

* * *

St. Catherine's had just received a new patient. Charles Carmichael, sole owner of Orion Enterprises, had been brought in, suffering from emotional exhaustion and mental stress. With him was his personal physician, Dr. Dana Scully, two nurses, and a hulking driver who most of the hospital staff was pretty sure also doubled as a bodyguard.

The Admissions Process was a routine one. The patient had been sedated, and Dr. Scully answered the questions on his behalf. Soon, the entire cortege found itself in the suite that had been reserved for Carmichael, and-safely alone, Carmichael opened his eyes and sat up, rubbing his hands with maniacal glee

"We ready to unleash our evil plan?"

"Yeah," Jayne grunted, looking bemusedly at the comfortable room Carmichael had been ensconced in, at the furnishings, the king-sized bed, and the window that took up the whole wall, letting in all the sunshine.

The mercenary seemed to give himself a shake. Then, he turned to Chuck.

"Yer job is ta be crazy," he said. "Give the staff here a chance to earn their pay with ya. Scully can stay with ya while me and the nurses find the Senator and get the info. Jus' be prepared for it ta go haywire, though…"

"Why?"

"Because Captain Daddy planned this mission," River Tam explained patiently. "And Captain Daddy's plans always explode."

"Yeah…" Jayne nodded. "When yer with _this_ team, ya larn ta think fast on yer feet."

Carmichael nodded. He knew all about that too. Even now, five hundred years and more, he could still hear Colonel John Casey's voice explaining how spies operated in real life…

"_You make a plan for the mission," John Casey had said. "Because going into a mission without a plan is just stupid, and a good way to commit suicide. But you can't hold on to that plan too tightly. Things change in mid-stream; key people die, a message didn't get sent, someone made a mistake. The bottom line is that, all of a sudden, the plan you came in with is screwed. So, what do you do? You __**don't freak out.**__ You take a good look at what you have __**now**__, and you change the plan based on what you have now, you __**adapt**__ to the situation in front of you until the mission's done. __**That's**__ how good spies succeed…_

Chuck nodded at Jayne, thinking of John, and all he felt was gratitude. Casey's advice had kept Chuck alive for five hundred years; and that advice would see all of them through this mission, no matter what happened.

"We'll do our part," he said.

* * *

Jayne Cobb looked at the two nurses.

"You ladies ready?"

River Tam nodded.

"I know where Senator Singh's suite is."

"Okay," he said. "Take us there."

When they got there, Senator Singh's suite was slightly different from Carmichael's suite; the paintings were of folk that River told him were Indian divinities.

_Well, they ain't normal folk, that's for sure; not with six or eight arms…_

The dark-skinned man sitting in the chair in the sitting room seemed not to notice all the prettiness in the room. He didn't even react to the unexpected visitors, and Jayne shivered at the apathetic creature.

"He even aware of us, Moony?"

"Not really," River whispered.

"Can you make him aware of you?"

River nodded at Louisa Beckman.

"Just guard the door, both of you," she said. "I'll talk with the Senator."

Jayne kept one ear cocked to outside the door, and the other ear on what was going on with River Tam and Senator Sudash Singh…

River stood in front of the seemingly catatonic man. She knelt, bringing her to eye-lever with him.

"It's me," she said. "River Tam, your star pupil. You were wrong to do what you did to all of us. But now, I see _why_ you did it. I know about the Reavers, and their creators, the aliens. Please, let me know everything you know…"

She gently took his head in her hands, bowed her head until their foreheads touched. It looked as creepy as hell to Jayne, but he kept his attention on the door, on the alert for anything happening outside.

It seemed to take forever, but finally River sighed and stood. She laid a gentle hand on the man's shoulder.

"I forgive you, Senator," she spoke softly. "We _will_ find a way to finish this."

Then she turned back to Jayne and Louisa.

"It's worse than we thought," she said. "They've infiltrated the Alliance Senate."

"How are we gonna fight that?"

Jayne's heart dropped down right into his boots.

"Let's get everyone home first," Louisa suggested. "We can figure out what to do when we're back on _Serenity_."

"Charles Carmichael has already gotten Dr. Scully to sign him back out again," River smiled.

"How the hell he manage that? This ain't like any hospital I ever heard of…"

"It's different when you're rich Jayne," River told the Merc.

"Huh…"

Jayne began to lead the nurses back, saw Security Guards coming his way. Thinkin' fast, he grabbed both women, opened the first door he found. Turned out ta be a closet full of sheets and other bedding. Just then, the door opened from the outside, and the Guard looked in…

He guffawed at the sight of one man, holding two women close.

"Ain't you the lucky one?"

"I don't like ta brag," Jayne smirked, pointedly ignoring the Glare of Doom he was receiving from Louisa Beckman.

"Much as I don't wanna interrupt ya," the Guard said. "We don't allow that kinda thing here."

"Too bad," Jayne indicated the bedding. "Ya got all the fixins' for a mighty fine love-nest right here. Aw…come along ladies…"

They made it back to Carmichael and Scully without further incident.

* * *

Now that he was out of the hospital, and back in his regular clothes, Chuck Bartowski felt much better.

_Serenity_ was waiting just shy of Ariel's planetary well, so he rented an automatic shuttle which would travel to the designated spot, then come back to port. After that, it was just a matter of waiting for the rest of the group to arrive; which they did just a few minutes later…

River Tam was giggling, and Louisa Beckman was glaring at Jayne Cobb, and if looks could kill…

_Uh-oh…_

"Dare I ask what happened?"

"We almost got caught by Security," River was still giggling. "Jayne dragged us all into a closet. He didn't _do_ anything. But the guard certainly thought he did."

"Ya don't need ta tell _everyone_ what I done," Jayne grumbled. "Especially Mal…"

That sobered River up.

"What he doesn't know won't hurt you," she agreed. "I won't say anything, and neither will Louisa; right Louisa?"

She met Louisa's angry eyes. Finally, the older woman sighed, and nodded.

"I won't say anything," she said. "But I would've liked a little warning."

"_Tadame…"_ Jayne stopped. He seemed to be counting to ten.

"If there had been time to warn ya," he said. "We wouldn't have been in the ruttin' closet in the first place."

There was a delicate snort from Scully, and Chuck just shook his head.

"Looks like Jayne was thinking fast on his feet,"

"Damn straight," Jayne muttered.

"Yes," River nodded. "And we have to go to our ship now. The news is dire."

Somehow, Chuck just knew…

"They've infiltrated the Alliance?"

"They're in the Senate at the very least," River nodded.

Chuck wanted to scream and break things.

_It's Earth all over again. How is it they're always one step ahead of us?_

He looked at Jayne Cobb.

Jayne Cobb, cloned from cells belonging to John Casey…

He and Mattie Cobb were both immune to the Reaver virus _and _the Alien Virus; and that meant they were the two most important people in all of known space…

* * *

Simon Tam was worried about Elizabeth Cho. He headache refused to respond to any of the pain-killers Simon gave her. She had taken to her bunk and turned all the lights off.

_A migraine,_ he decided. _Darkness, quiet, and peace are the only remedies for what ails her now…_

Wash had just received a wave from Carmichael. They were on their way home now, with the information. An Auto shuttle ferried the group back to _Serenity_, then set off, back to the Port, when everyone had debarked.

Mal stared at River Tam.

"How did your chat with Senator Singh go?"

"Let's go upstairs," Carmichael spoke quietly as Scully went up the stairs from the Cargo Hold to the main area of the ship.. Then, River gasped.

"Something is wrong!"

She began to run up the stairs. Just then, a shriek of terror sounded up ahead. Everyone ran behind River, following that awful sound to its source…

_No…This can't be…_

Simon reeled against the wall, his mind refusing to process what his eyes recorded. Dr. Dana Scully lay on the floor, neck clearly broken, blue eyes fading as they stared upwards sightlessly at…

A Reaver.

"_Scully!"_

Jayne's roar was that of a berserker, all rational thought gone to hell. The Reaver looked up and…

_Oh, my god…it's Elizabeth Cho…_

Simon's legs gave out from under him, and he thudded to his knees. Deep in shock, he didn't really hear the gunfire from Jayne's gun, and he didn't equate the jerking marionette dance of the Reaver's body with the spray of bullets hitting its…_her_ body…

Now, the Reaver's body was down too, a pool of blood spreading out from under it. Jayne was running up the rest of the way, to where Scully lay, kneeling there, unmindful of all the blood and gore…

"_Doc!"_

There was anguish in Jayne's voice; anguish that cut through the shock fogging Simon's mind. He pulled himself to his feet, and stumbled over.

He didn't need any fancy machines. He didn't even need a stethoscope…

The pupils of Scully's eyes had dilated, swallowing all the blue up in depthless black. For form's sake, Simon felt at the base of her throat for a pulse, wasn't surprised when he didn't find one.

"She's dead, Jayne," it was hard to look at Jayne's face, to see the agony in the Merc's eyes. "I'm sorry."

Jayne seemed on the brink of an abyss, somehow. But, somehow, he pulled himself back, swallowing convulsively, stamping the tears down by main force of will. He had won that battle, by a hair.

Simon turned to look at the Reaver, Elizabeth Cho, saw River looking down at her too, sadness in her eyes.

"She must have drunk the water on Miranda," she said.

* * *

Jayne hurt, the pain pooling in his chest, belly, and head; and it looked like to stay there forever.

In the immediate aftermath, Mal had took over, giving orders for Cho's body to be incinerated, anyone handling the Reaver corpse to wear full protective clothing which was also to be incinerated.

Even before that, Jayne had run all the way ta his bunk, fearin' the worst. But, when he got there, breathless from having run all the way, he found little Mattie safe and sound in his little baby bed, sleepin' without a care in the world.

Simon Tam had also done an autopsy on Dana Scully; to see if she had been infected by the Reaver virus. But, while her neck had been broke by the Reaver, she hadn't been _bitten_, so she had died clear of the virus.

A shaken Shepherd Book had suggested they go to haven, bury Scully there. But, before the funeral, it was discovered she had left a Last Will…

Oddly enough for such an obviously cultured woman, she hadn't left much in the way of material wealth. But, she had left several items to Jayne; her little silver cross, and a wealth of family photos.

Jayne dint know rightly what to do with the cross, but the photos all went up on the walls of his bunk. Mattie might never get a chance to know Scully, his sorta kinda _Grammy_. But he damn well was gonna know what she looked like, and her family too, even if Jayne dint know who they was.

Seein' as there was a baby in his bunk, Jayne had never put up his girly photos. Those was stashed away where no baby would be able to find them. So there was plenty of room. And that smilin' photo of John Casey now had photos to accompany it so it wouldn't look all alone no more…

Then, there was the funeral service, and Jayne was glad it was Shepherd book sayin' the words from the Bible, speakin' words of comfort and hope as they laid the woman who shoulda been his Ma into the earth…

And now, here, at the freshly-raised mound of earth that was Dana Scully's grave, he knelt there, hurting, his chest and head pounding, his throat tightening like to stop his very breathin'…

_It ain't fair…Mattie ain't ever gonna know ya…_

He knelt there, hand palm down on the freshly turned soil.

_Shouldn't have happened. Ya shouldn't have been the one to die…_

He felt a delicate hand on his shoulder, looked up to see Moony looking down at him sadly. She was holding Scully's silver cross on its chain in her other hand.

"Ya went into my bunk?"

"She wanted you to have this," River met his eyes squarely. "It's a little bit of _her_ that you can carry with you wherever you go."

Since he was already kneelin' on the ground like that, Moony dint hafta reach to put the cross around his neck. He felt the silver cross, cool at the base of his throat, and the pain surged in his head, pressure fierce behind his eyes. River's arms went around him as he knelt there, hugging him tightly.

"It's all right to mourn," she said.

He opened his mouth, intendin' to tell her that there weren't any time fer cryin'; that there was Reavers out there, and Aliens too, plottin' to destroy everyone. But, 'stead of words, a flood of tears poured out, and there was nuthin' Jayne could do to stop the flow…

And so, instead of pullin' away like he ought to, he found his head lyin' on Moony's shoulder, as he sobbed like he never had before…

* * *

And, as the girl comforted the grieving man, Malcolm Reynolds stood watch a respectful distance away; silent chaperone, silent witness to their shared grief…


	15. Chapter 15

**A Mercenary's Tale**

**Chapter 14**

Captain Malcolm Reynolds was worried about his Merc. The man hadn't changed his routine any the week following Dr. Scully's death, but an air of despondency now clung to all of Jayne Cobb's actions, seemed to be putting down roots deep into the man's bones.

Understandable, that…

As it had turned out, Dr. Scully had been the closest thing to a _Ma _the hulking Merc had ever owned; and now she was dead, killed by a Reaver.

_A Reaver we opened our doors to, all unknowing. Dr. Scully died because of our ignorance…_

Perhaps that was why he couldn't escape the feeling that he had wronged Jayne somehow.

Mal walked into the Cargo Hold, and there Jayne was, finishing up the last of the mopping, and Mal felt a fresh wave of worry course through him. Jayne had been driving himself hard these last few days, hitting the weights with a vengeance, as if he was trying to perfect himself; turn himself into The Perfect Killing Machine…

Everyone had noticed it, and it was Shepherd Book to had taken Mal aside just the other day.

"_You need to talk to Jayne, Mal" the Preacher had said._

"_You noticed it too?"_

"_He's driving himself too hard Mal. He keeps this up; he'll break, as sure as the sunrise."_

"_Think I'm the one to tell him that?"_

"_He listens to you, Mal," the older man had said. "He may grumble and complain, but he __**does**__ listen."_

_Mal had nodded at that._

"_I'll talk to him first thing in the morning…"_

So, here he was, watching Jayne mop the Cargo Hold.

"Jayne," he finally said. "Need to talk to you a spell."

"'Bout what?"

The man didn't even look up from his mopping as he spoke, and Mal felt a touch of exasperation.

"You've been working yourself way too hard," he said to his Merc. "We all understand you're hurting, Jayne, and it's okay to take some time off to grieve-"

Jayne hurled his mop against a wall.

"Gorramit," he growled. "She's dead, and she ain't comin' back from that."

"I know, Jayne," Mal closed his eyes at the stark despair in Jayne's eyes. "If we had been more alert, we would've realized that Elizabeth Cho had been infected by the Reaver Virus, and we would've taken appropriate steps to protect everyone, but-"

"That's just like ya, Mal," Jayne rasped. "Ya gotta take the blame for _everything_, dontcha? It ain't yer fault, it ain't the Little Albatross's fault, it ain't mine, or anyone else's either. The only ones ta blame fer the Reavers are the ones what _made _the Reavers."

"That's why you've been pushing yourself that hard? So you can exact vengeance upon the aliens?"

Jayne's shoulders slumped, and now Mal could see the circles under the Merc's eyes. The man hadn't been sleeping either.

"Mal…" Jayne hesitated. "I'm just a hired gun. I want ta kill them, kill them all…"

"Get some rest, Jayne" Mal spoke in his Captainy voice, the one Jayne listened to. "You ain't gonna kill _anything_ if you make yourself keel over. Rest for now, and don't push yourself so hard. We'll think of something, dong ma?"

Jayne _huffed _a little as he retrieved the mop, and Mal thought he heard the muttered, _I'll rest when I'm dead_.

Then, Wash's voice came over the intercom.

"Mal," he said. "You've got a wave; from Inara."

_Tadame…she couldn't have called at a worse time…_

He loved the Companion, of that he was pretty sure, but as Charles Carmichael often liked to say, it was complicated…

Mal had always been a somewhat conservative man in many ways; which was why he couldn't really understand _why_ he had fallen for the Companion in the first place. Highly cultured, with perfect Core-bred manners, she represented everything in the Alliance that he detested.

But he had fallen for her-head over heels-all the same, and he was fairly sure she felt the same way about him.

But she was a _Companion_; a hetaera –a very high-class courtesan-and obviously wasn't quite ready to leave her calling.

As might be expected, the arguments-and the subsequent makeups-were appropriately fiery.

However, they had sorta broken up, after the Heart of Gold…

So, why was she calling now?

"I'm on my way," he turned to see Jayne back at work, finishing up the mopping.

"Jayne," he added, as he turned to leave the hold. "We ain't finished with this. You won't be good for anything if ya make yourself sick. Get some rest, and some food too, and lay off the weights for today at least…"

A distant grunt was all the answer he got from Jayne on the subject.

_Well...we'll see,_ Mal told himself as he headed to the cockpit. River Tam was there too, but staying out of sight and Inara Serra's lovely face was on the view screen.

"Mal," she said. "I'm so glad I was able to get in touch with you."

Mal raised an eyebrow at that. Everything about Inara, her posture, and her brilliant smile, was _off _somehow…

"What's wrong?"

"The shuttle I've been renting from you," she shrugged offhandedly. "It's developed…mechanical difficulties. The Techs here suggested I tell you about this because of our rental agreement."

"You talking about the _you-break-it-you-bought-it _clause?"

"Yes," Inara looked embarrassed by it all. But, still, there was that feeling of this all being a performance.

"Well…"Mal drawled. "I could come to Sihnon, maybe in a week or so; have my mechanic look at it. Maybe we can salvage the situation, dong ma?"

Inara's smile widened as she nodded.

"That would be perfect," she said. "I'll be expecting you Mal."

"See you then, 'Nara…"

Mal switched off, turned to River, sitting quietly out of sight the whole time.

"Any news, Little Witch?"

"Yes," River nodded. "As you already suspected, she is under duress."

"The Blue Hands again?"

"Not this time. It's an Operative."

"An Operative…" All through the War, and after, Mal had heard tales about Operatives, incredible tales of men and women with capabilities far beyond the human norm, tasked to do the Alliance's dirty work; work the Alliance Senate could publicly disavow any knowledge of.

"Jayne and I should accompany you," River spoke earnestly. "Or, at the very least, follow you in. I was able to read the Operative. He was standing just out of visual range when you and Inara spoke. He doesn't know about the Aliens in the Senate. On the other hand, he _does_ know about Miranda. Don't kill him."

"Little Albatross, if what you're saying is true, he's holding Inara at gunpoint. What am I supposed to do? Serve him tea and dumplings?"

"He's not an alien in hiding, Captain Daddy. Like Senator Singh, he was a Believer in the Cause, and the Cause-the War against the Aliens-is a good one. It's just that they went about it in the wrong way. And now he doesn't know that his masters, the Senate, have been infiltrated by the _real_ enemy."

"So we not only have to rescue Inara. We also have to rescue the piece of slime that kidnapped her?"

"That about sums it up," River nodded. "Actually, I think it would be best if Jayne was your backup this time."

"Why Jayne, Little One?"

"He needs the occupation more, Captain Daddy."

"Yeah, but, in his current mood, he might take things too far," Mal pointed out.

"I don't think any of us would weep over much if the Operative got roughed up a little."

"You know," Mal smiled. "I certainly wouldn't weep much if Jayne bashed his face in a little."

And that was how Mal Reynolds found himself on Sihnon, just a scant week later, getting the tar beaten out of him by a smirking Operative. Inara tried to help, but the Operative was very nearly as good as River, and where the hell was Jayne anyway?

_Shoulda brought the Little Witch instead. We're in a Companion House, and Jayne's probably lost his wits over all the pretty…_

The explosion of stars inside his skull brought his attention back to the sadly one-sided fight.

_Kinda hard to actually hit the guy when he ain't ever where you expect him to be…_

"You might as well surrender, Captain" the Operative didn't even look winded, like this fight was merely a pleasant form of physical exercise…

"I don't even want you at all," the Operative went on. "I merely want your hired gun and the baby you stole from our lab. That's all. Everyone else, including your lovely Companion, is free to go. Even River Tam and her brother are free. The bond on their heads have been removed. I just want Jayne Cobb, and the baby."

"You ain't havin' Little Mattie!"

The new voice startled everyone. After that, things happened so quickly, as a large whirling blur seemed to crash right into the Operative. It was pretty much over before it began, and the Operative was down on his hands and knees, his katana in Jayne's big paws.

"So," Jayne sneered. "What was it ya wanted of me and my boy? I know! Ya wanted to keep on doin' the feng le stuff, like makin' Mattie crazy like ya done with River; ain't I right? And how about those Aliens out there, like Doctor Mathias told me about; you know about them, right? And how they made the Reavers on Miranda?"

The Operative started.

"How did you learn about Miranda?"

"Like Jayne said," Mal explained. "Dr. Mathias told him about Miranda; so we went there, to check it out. We met some of the Aliens there too. As I recall, they weren't nice folk at all."

The Operative's eyes widened.

"If you know that much," he said. "Then _why_ are you fighting us?"

"It ain't _you_ we're fighting," Mal rubbed his aching head. "We got intelligence says your precious Senate may have been infiltrated by the Aliens. Apparently they can change their shapes, make themselves look like your best friend, or your boss. So have any of your orders changed lately?"

The Operative frowned at that…

"_Tadame_…" Mal breathed. "They _did_ change, didn't they?"

"Yes they did," the Operative looked at Jayne. "It was feared you may have been contaminated by the Aliens."

"Us?"

Jayne guffawed.

"Ain't ya forgettin' that I'm s'posed ta be immune ta the Alien Virus? According to everything Doc Mathias told me, I _can't_ be infected. And Mattie can't neither."

The Operative straightened at that, frowning even more now.

"That is true," he muttered. He looked a little dazed.

"What do I do?"

"I think we're natural allies for now," Mal said. "As frightening as the notion may seem. We are fighting the same war now; and Jayne and Mattie are apparently our only hopes now, so their safety is paramount, and it looks like the Senate can't offer them the protection they need."

"Agreed," the Operative was looking at the floor, as if seeing a sudden chasm open up right before his feet. Mal nodded at that.

_The Little Albatross was right_

…

"Jayne," he said. "Give him his weapons back now."

"Ya sure 'bout this?"

"Yes, "Mal nodded again. "Give him his weapons back."

* * *

The Operative felt better with his sword back in its scabbard. But, now, he felt something he hadn't felt in a very long time; complete uncertainty.

Was it possible that Captain Reynolds was right? Could his master, Senator Maxwell Jameson, actually be the enemy now?

_I certainly can't go up to him and ask him, now can I?_

That was when four of his guards appeared, even though he had left specific orders for them to stay away.

"Captain," he spoke sternly. "I thought I had left orders for you to stay on the ship."

"We no longer take orders from you," the man said. He looked at the other three men.

"Kill them all," he said.

"They die if ya stab them or shoot them, in the back of the neck," Jayne had drawn two nasty-looking daggers. "Like this!"

That was when Jayne's eyes flickered for a second. Then he grinned wolfishly at the guards.

"Let's dance…"

The spray of bullets all seemed to miss his body as the big man spun, far too gracefully for a man of his size, and two of the guards went down, the hilts of Jayne's daggers jutting from their necks. Mal shot the third, the bullet-hole squarely in the back of the neck. The Operative shrugged, and drew his own gun. The fourth guard went down too, the Operative's bullet likewise lodged in the back of the neck.

And now, the Operative was looking down at four bodies rapidly decomposing into puddles of green slime…

It was true, all of Captain Reynolds' words made real and good…

There was nothing human in those puddles of green slush. He looked back up at Reynolds.

"What must I do?"

* * *

Inara stood there, watching as an enemy turned into an ally right in front of her eyes. She was still trying to process what she had just seen; men to bled green and rotted away in mere seconds, and _Jayne Cobb…_

In that brief moment of time, he had fought as if he had studied at a _dojo_ his whole life. But she knew quite well that he _hadn't_.

_Where did he learn to fight like that?_

As for Mal, he was glaring at the Operative…

"I don't have any cause to love the Alliance," he finally said. "But I conjure there are innocent folk out there too. Seems to me your sole purpose in life is to protect folk from _that._"

He pointed at the green gore, and the Operative nodded.

"I think you're right," he said

"Well then," Mal looked around at all the people in the room. "It's high time we left the premises."

It turned out Inara's shuttle was fine after all, so it was two shuttles that came back to _Serenity_…

"He has a _son?_"

Inara was in the Family Room watching Jayne with Mattie, and this was a side of Jayne she had never seen before; so tender and loving…

"Yeah…" Kaylee was grinning from the kitchen. "Ain't they sweet?"

Jayne wasn't the only different one. River Tam had changed too; perhaps even more than Jayne…

That more or less constant pall of sadness and fright was gone, now replaced by…sanity.

_Someone had cured her…_

Inara was given to understand that much at least, although she didn't quite understand the explanations.

_Charles Carmichael had re-mapped River Tam's brain?_

It felt like so much science fiction, but there it was…

So, that was when Mal had sat Inara down, and explained the whole thing; about Jayne and Mattie being clones of a man who had died five hundred years ago, about the true origin of the Reavers, and about the Aliens who had made the Reavers…

_No wonder everyone's different…_

Now, Mal was off talking to Wash, plotting their next port of call, and Inara found herself in the kitchen as River Tam made a pot of tea.

"Jayne's really only fifteen years old…" she shook her head at the notion. "That's…that's…"

"Irrelevant," River Tam turned from the tea. "Seeing as it's _Jayne,_ and he's lived his entire life as an adult. But you know Captain Daddy…"

"Ah, yes," Inara smiled. "And, how about you, dear?"

"_Me?"_

"I remember how you always tormented Jayne. You never allowed him a moment's peace."

"I was a bit of a snot," River felt her face flush a deep red. "That is, when I wasn't completely off my axle…"

"In short, you were a typical teen-aged girl."

"Inara?

For someone who wasn't a Reader, Inara found it easy to read River.

"I'm not angry," Inara laid a gentle hand on the girl's arm. "Just examine your feelings for Jayne, ask yourself what he means to you."

"What he…means…"

Right now, River's face was very nearly the color of beets.

"Shh…don't fuss about it, dear," Inara smiled. "I think the tea is ready."

* * *

They'd gone to Haven next; to pick up some supplies. A horrifying sight awaited them…

"What the hell?"

Wash set _Serenity_ down next to the still-burning ruins of the colony. Charred bodies lay everywhere, scattered among the burning wreckage.

Shepherd Book stared down at the sight, grief etched onto his features. The colonists had been good, simple folk.

"Reavers?"

"Can't be Reavers, Jayne," Zoë Washburne said. "Looks like all the colonist's bodies are still here. If it was Reavers…"

Here she fell silent, and there was no need to say anymore anyway. Everyone knew Reavers were cannibals, among other things. If it had been Reavers, they would've taken at least a quarter of the population.

_So, it ain't Reavers…_

Jayne looked around, found the ruins of an old surface-to-air defense station, and the few bodies scattered nearby. Then, he looked ahead, and his eyes widened…

"_Mal!"_

Several hundreds of feet away, there lay…an Alliance attack vessel. It, too, was still smoldering, and through the sluggish flames, he could see three charred corpses…

_They didn't go down without a fight…_

The Operative was looking at all the carnage, and he looked…_confused_.

"Did you order that?"

The Operative flinched at the fury in Mal's voice.

"Of course not," he snapped back. "I'm not in the habit of making war on innocent civilians. This…"

The Operative looked around, clearly sickened by the sight.

"_This,"_ he added. "Is complexly beyond the pale."

A sudden thought occurred to Jayne, a horrifying one.

"They tryin' ta get at us?"

The Operative nodded reluctantly.

"It could be," he finally said.

"Then we'd better go to Mr. Universe's Moon," Jayne spoke quickly. "'Fore _they_ get there; if they ain't already been there, that is…"

"What about the bodies?"

Book interrupted.

"We can't leave the bodies to rot."

"Sorry Padre, but we got no choice," Mal said. "If we wait, more lives could be lost."

Fortunately, with _Serenity's_ hyperspace engines, they was at Mr. Universe's Moon in less than an hour; and the Feds hadn't got there yet…

As before, it was Mr. Universe's wife, the very pretty mannequin, who let them in. Once inside, Charles Carmichael took over.

"Hey buddy," he said. "You have to leave. The Feds are on their way, and I think it's possible they'll try to kill you."

"But…but…_why? _I've never involved myself in their politics. I keep to myself, always have."

"Ya helped us," Jayne put in. "That's reason enough fer them ta killya. So get yer…wife, and anything else ya kin carry in yer hands, and we'll get ya to some place that's safe."

"But my _computers, _my research…"

Jayne loomed over him, and was gratified ta see him flinch back.

"Look," he growled. "Ya stay here, ya die. It's that simple. Go with us, and ya can live ta continue on with…whatever the gorram hell yer doin', dong ma?"

Finally, Carmichael got the guy to pack up and leave, the mannequin joining the party. Soon everyone was back on _Serenity_, just as the Fed task force arrived…

"Punch it, Wash!"

So Wash did, indeed, punch it, and soon they were rendezvousing with the _COMPACT _Flagship the _John Casey_.

And, once again, Jayne noticed the look of sadness crossing Charles Carmichael's face whenever he saw that ship.

"What do ya think yer friend might've thought of that?"

He pointed at the screen, and the starship.

"John?"

Carmichael looked thoughtful.

"I think he would've been torn," the man said at last. "On the one hand, I think Casey would've been embarrassed just a little bit. He would rather a ship named the _Ronald Reagan,_ I think. But, then, I think he would also have appreciated being remembered for all these years."

"Mebbe," Jayne looked out the screen. "

"Think we'll ever beat the bad guys this time?"

Carmichael sighed.

"They don't know about the _COMPACT_," he said. "That might be the only advantage we have; but it's a _real_ advantage."

* * *

Back on _Osiris_, the man who now called himself Senator Maxwell Jameson received yet some more bad news. There had been an unauthorized visit to a psychotic Senator at St. Catherine's; the Operative was missing, and the four guards that had gone with him had gone missing too.

The Bounty Hunter snarled in the privacy of his Inner Private Office. He's never really trusted the Operative anyway; the man was human after all. But the four guards were his own kind, and the fact that they were missing meant only one thing.

_Someone out there knows how to kill us…_

It was time therefore to up the stakes; try to draw the enemy out of hiding…


	16. Chapter 16

**A Mercenary's Tale**

**Chapter 15**

It was a somber group who filed into the Main Council Chamber just off the _John Casey's _Main Bridge; and Captain Malcolm Reynolds was of two minds concerning the situation that had brought them all here.

On the one hand, it was the Alliance Senate that had been infiltrated by the alien invaders, and he surely had no love for the Feds. But…

On the other hand, he had learned enough about the alien invaders-from Dr. Scully before her death, from Charles Carmichael, and from River Tam herself, having gleaned the information directly from Senator Sudash Singh's mind-to realize that _no one_ deserved that.

Besides, all the experts agreed the aliens had tracked humanity down for only one reason. They were here to complete the process of eradication they had been foiled at before.

So, here they all were, Mal, his First Mate, Zoë Washburne, and everyone else on _Serenity_, meeting with the _Compact's_ High Command, to try to find a way to deal with the threat the aliens represented.

The 'Pacters were a pretty diverse-looking bunch of folk; some alarmingly so…

There were quite a few that looked like ordinary folk. But there were others who bore signs of what they called…_Augmentation._

To Mal, it looked like they had had body-parts replaced with machine parts; scanners for eyes, and metallic hand-like things that could fire either bullets or energy bolts.

He had even heard there were a few-President Diane Beckman, for example-who had downloaded their brains into AI…

That being said, the three main population groups, the Baselines, Augments, and AI Sentiences, seemed to get along well with each other.

President Beckman chaired the meeting, her holographic image almost an exact duplication of Louisa Beckman.

"Ms. Tam," the President spoke, bringing the meeting to order. "Were you able to ascertain how deeply the aliens have managed to infiltrate the Alliance Senate?"

River Tam stirred at the President's question.

"I can only offer a guess, Madam President," she spoke carefully. "Firstly, the Senator is in a completely psychotic state, and it was only through careful parsing of the information that I was able to arrive at any answer whatsoever. Secondly, the information is a couple of years old, so it's not _current_ information. The information I received from the Senator indicated a small group-more than one, but less than five-managed to infiltrate the Senate. But, as I've already said, that was as of two years ago, and things may have changed. Further, there is the alien population resident on Miranda, and-apart from their creation of the Reavers-we don't know if they have any further role to play."

"We whumped them on Miranda," Jayne Cobb pointed out. "'Least I hope we did."

"Maybe," Wash pointed out, still a little bothered that he had gone into hyperspace in the gravity well of a living planet. "But that's not something we can do as a matter of course. Besides, I get the impression that the only way to _really_ fight the aliens is through viral means..?"

Here, Wash looked at Simon Tam, and the young Doctor sighed.

"I'm still trying to figure out how that would be accomplished," Simon admitted. "Like Jayne said a while back, I'm not too keen on having him go into a bunch of Reavers on the off chance that the ones who bite him might get sick and die."

"The Reavers can be fought by conventional means," Admiral Kantoh spoke up. "Considering the level of tech the Reavers seem capable of using, even the Feds shouldn't have too much trouble dealing with them. But _I_ wouldn't be averse to pinch-hitting for the Feds there, if things get a bit too rough for the Feds. It's the Aliens who are the problem. They started the Reavers on Miranda, but what if they mover their act to another world? A more heavily populated world like Osiris, maybe?"

Mal shivered at the thought.

_Another wave of Reavers might just finish us all up for good…_

"I'm thinkin' we need to learn all we can about these aliens." He looked right at President Beckman as he spoke.

"I agree," Beckman nodded. "I have all the pertinent information. But, I'm warning you; you won't like it."

Beckman was right. Mal didn't like it. Not at all.

Feeling nauseous, he listened as the 'Pacters give him, and his crew, a crash course on everything known about the aliens; the _Black Oil Virus, _the _Human/Alien Hybrid Project_, the search for a virus to defeat the Aliens, and the _Super soldier Project…_

He frowned at that.

"When did all of that happen?"

Charles Carmichael raised a hand, answering Mal's question.

"It started roughly in the middle of the Twentieth Century, and continued through to the early Twenty-first Century. Only two of the above-mentioned projects achieved any kind of success. The aliens were successful in their Super soldier project; and there were two completely successful Human/Alien Hybrids. Only one was actually reported; Cassandra Spender…"

"What about the second one?"

Somehow, Mal just _knew_ the answer would be an important one.

Carmichael sighed and bowed his head, sadness in his eyes.

"The second successful Human/Alien Hybrid managed to escape before the people doing the project were able to identify him as a success; but they had already cloned him, so, at first it wasn't quite so important. They also infected the clone with the Super soldier virus, and found that _he_ was-by their definitions-a perfect super soldier; far in advance of any Super Soldier thus far created. Then he died, and it then became paramount that they find the original, which was still in hiding."

Jayne Cobb stirred uneasily, and Mal could hardly blame him. He could see the writing on the wall…

"You're talking about John Casey, right?"

"Yes," President Beckman nodded. "So, now you see why Jayne Cobb, and his son, Mattie, are so important to us. In John Casey, they had merged both projects-the Human/Alien Hybrid project, and the Super Soldier Project-"

"But it killed him," Jayne protested. "The Super soldier virus killed him, dint it?"

"Yes," Carmichael nodded. "But that's part of the normal process for the Super Soldier Virus. The Super Soldier is actually more of a flesh-covered robot. They're _supposed_ to die for the full process to take effect."

"Kinda like zombies?"

Wash was ignoring the sudden glare sent his way by Jayne. And Chuck nodded at his question.

"That's a pretty close assessment, Wash," he agreed. "Fortunately, we got Casey to a wall of magnetite ore just before he died, and…well…"

Here, he broke off, and for a brief instant Mal could see the stark grief etched into his face…

"The magnetite took his body in," River spoke softly. "It kept him safe from turning into a Super Soldier…"

Carmichael nodded, drew in a shaky breath.

"Sorry guys," he finally said. "Casey was a good friend of mine…"

"Sorry for your loss," Mal leaned forward. "But I need to know how this all relates to Jayne here, what y'all seem to expect him to do…"

Carmichael nodded.

"Well…" he began. "Someone drilled into that wall of magnetite, mining for Casey. They got his cells, and here Jayne is; and Mattie too. And nobody even has a thought for what that magnetite did."

"Whaddya mean?"

Jayne sounded just a little scared now.

"I ain't gonna turn into a monster or somethin'; am I?"

"No, Jayne," Carmichael smiled gently to reassure the hulking Merc. "But you're a true Human/Alien Hybrid, and also-as odd as this sounds to tell you buddy-you're also the very first truly _free_ Super Soldier ever created."

"The magnetite…" Simon Tam spoke softly, awe in his eyes.

"Yes," Carmichael nodded. "All that magnetite, in his bone, blood, and brain. It's shielding him from the Alien Over-minds. They can't take over, so Jayne is safe in his own body. And all the other Super Soldiers are vulnerable to magnetite, unlike Jayne. Also, before I forget, as you've all been told, Jayne is immune to the Reaver Virus and the Alien virus…"

"Yes!"

Admiral Kantoh's voice startled everyone.

"Don't you see what that means?"

Mal stared at Kantoh. The excitement in the man was clear…

"You don't get it…" Kantoh spoke fervently. "With Jayne here, we don't need to snipe away at the edges of their territory. We can take the fight directly to _them."_

"Whaddya mean by that go se?"

Kantoh smiled broadly at Jayne.

"With _you_ here, on our side," he said. "We could go back to _Earth_. We could drive the aliens away from our ancestral home, make Earth _ours' _again."

* * *

Jayne Cobb sat there, completely flummoxed, as the hubbub continued all around him

"My Merc ain't under your command," Jayne could hear the protective fury in Mal's voice.

"Besides," now Jayne felt Zoë's hand on his shoulder as she spoke dryly. "It's a long trip back to Earth-that-was, and I'm sure the aliens have the borders well-protected. Surely it ain't gonna be as easy as just walking up, knocking on their front door, and saying, _may we please come in?"_

"Can't we jus' do what we done before?"

Jayne finally spoke up.

"Can't we do another Diaspora and get away from them again?"

The President sighed grimly.

"You have no idea how truly destructive to the galaxy these aliens have been," she spoke sternly. "They're like locusts when they descend on a crop…"

Here Jayne shuddered. He'd seen farming communities devastated by locusts, entire crops wiped out by those awful things. And Beckman went on, describing the destruction wrought by the aliens…

The entire sector of the galaxy filled with lifeless planets, each one stripped of all biotic material; except for the planets occupied by the Alliance and the Compact…

"Maybe Earth is still alive," Beckman continued. "They've only held Earth for around five hundred years, so maybe there's a chance for Earth."

"Can't ya go beyond the Dead Zone?"

Jayne spoke urgently.

"Ya got hyperspace, after all…"

"The Dead Zone is too deep, Mr. Cobb; even for our starships. There comes a time when one can't run anymore; a time when the only option is to stand and fight. That time has arrived for all of us. We do have one of their ships in our possession at least."

"An alien ship?"

"Yes," Admiral Kantoh took over. "It's a small long-range scout we took in a military engagement a short time ago. Would you all like to see it?"

Minutes later, they were all down in one of the _John Casey's_ many docking bays. There was only the one ship in there, and it was roughly reminiscent of the stereotypical "Flying Saucer" from the oldest sci-fi movies brought from Earth-that-was…

It was small, though, with only two seats, and it looked like a mighty uncomfortable ride…

"Does it work?"

Little Kaylee was poking her head inside as she spoke, and Jayne figured she'd soon be an expert on alien tech too…

"No," Kantoh said. "But I think I know why. Please sit in the Pilot's Seat, Ms. Fry."

Kaylee did so and looked around.

"Everything seems designed for reg'lar folk," she finally said.

"Yes," Kantoh nodded. "The readouts were designed for human eyes; the controls look like they were made for human hands, along with the seats…"

"Yep," Kaylee slid out of the scout. "But you say it's an _alien_ ship?"

"I think I get it," Doc Simon nodded. "The crew you found was human…yet not."

"Human/Alien Hybrids," Kantoh nodded. "Mr. Cobb, why don't _you_ try sitting in the cockpit."

"Of all the ruttin' crazy…" Jayne grumbled as he clambered aboard the little scout and plopped his ass down on the Pilot's Seat.

And the little ship woke up; the engine rumbling to life as the readouts flickered alight, alien script flickering on the readout screens.

"Gorramit!"

Jayne leaped out of that seat, was out of that feng le thing in less than a shake; and all the systems powered back down again, the engine switching off, and all the lights flickering out again.

Jayne just stood there, and he couldn't quite stop the shaking that took hold of him, deep in his bones.

_That ship knowed me. It knowed me and let me in ta itself…_

That was when the realization really hit him, what Admiral Kantoh, and all the other 'Pacters were _really_ asking of him…

"Hell no…" he growled. "You ain't askin' me ta…"

"I know what we're asking for is a shock, Mr. Cobb," Kantoh spoke somberly. "More, I know that we don't have the right to ask this of you. You're not a 'Pacter, and you're not in the military either. But, you're the only one here-apart from your son, Mattie-who can fly that ship; and your blood is the only weapon we know of that can truly kill the aliens. Right now, you are our only hope."

"What about the Alliance Senate," Simon Tam held up a hand. "Surely we should deal with them first?"

Jayne dint really hear Kantoh's response; something to do with military strategic go see about how a deep mission to strike at the enemy in the center of their sphere would do more damage to the enemy, and how they could deal with the aliens in the Senate, and on Miranda after Earth had been retaken.

Thing was…

Kantoh was right. Jayne's heart fell right down inta his boots when he realized that.

But, anyone going _there_ was sure ta die…

He was shivering now, feeling a deep chasm open up right under his feet.

_I ain't a hero! That's fer crazy folk who want ta die. Me, I want to live!_

But the aliens had ta be stopped.

_Mattie shouldn't have ta face that. I want him ta have a real childhood; with family ta love him…_

"I'll do it," It almost felt like someone else was speaking through his voice, the words seeming ta come from far away.

"No!"

Moony was starin' at him, horror in her dark eyes

"You can't, Jayne," she insisted. "You'll die!"

"Think I don't know that?"

He couldn't stop the snarl. He didn't want ta die. But he was the only one, apart from Mattie, who could do this, although he was kinda fuzzy on _how_…

And he was also the only one who could make that feng le ship go…

He remembered how he had felt just after Scully had died, how he'd told Mal he wanted ta make the aliens pay for what they done. Of course, he hadn't expected that the price for vengeance would be his own life.

'_Course, I could say no…_

_But then Mattie would hafta pay the price…_

No.

_I'm just a dumb Merc. Mattie's gonna be…_

He had no idea what Mattie was gonna be, 'cept that the Little Mite was gonna be smarter than Jayne, wiser in all those things that Jayne simply dint understand.

_Better for me ta sacrifice my life than Mattie…_

So, he guessed it was decided…

* * *

The meeting had broken up after that, and River Tam felt…shattered. Jayne Cobb, silly, and selfish Jayne Cobb, was going to sacrifice his life to destroy the aliens, to make the 'verse a better place for everyone else…

She followed him back to _Serenity_, right down to his bunk. He had changed the lock again, but that was no real impediment to River. It was only the work of a moment to decipher the combination; Jayne was notoriously unimaginative when it came to key-lock combinations.

He didn't yell at her when she entered his bunk. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, Mattie clutched to his chest as he rocked slightly back and forth, a look of purest melancholy in his eyes.

"Was hopin' I'd be able ta watch the Little Mite grow up," he finally said.

"You can," River nodded. "You don't have to throw your life away like this."

"Looks like yer wrong fer the firs' time in yer life, Mooney," Jayne was shivering. "That gorram ship only works fer me. Ain't anyone else gonna make that feng le thing go; 'cept maybe Mattie, and I ain't gonna make him go though that."

"I don't want you to die!"

The words slipped out of her as she walked up to him, and-mindful of the Little Mite in his arms-threw her arms around him and hugged him gently. She felt Jayne give her an awkward pat on the shoulder. Then, he gently pushed her away, and hauled himself to his feet.

She watched as he tucked Mattie up in his baby bed, and then turned to walk out of his bunk.

"Gotta talk ta Shepherd Book," he muttered. "Gotta make things right 'fore I go…"

A few hours passed, and then River was summoned to Shepherd Book's room, along with Mal Reynolds. Jayne Cobb was coming out as they entered, not looking either of them in the eye.

"I'm hoping he's okay," Mal spoke quietly.

"He's as well as can be expected for a man facing certain death," Book looked weary and sad. "He had me draw up a Last Will and Testament, and he mentioned both of you in particular."

Mal looked resigned, as if he knew what was coming.

"Mal," Book continued. "He's named you Mattie's Legal Guardian."

Mal nodded.

"So he's really going to do this?"

"Yes," Book nodded sadly. "He's going to take that scout-ship to Earth, and try to destroy the aliens."

"Why isn't anyone stopping him?"

River spoke hotly, tears blurring her vision

"Because he's right," Book spoke softly. "He's the only one who can get there in that ship, and his blood really is the only weapon."

He put an envelope in River's hand.

"He left a letter for you."

Book and Mal stepped away, leaving River in privacy.

_Dear River,_

_I'm not real good at leter writing. I want to tell you its okay. I like you too, and you're a fine girl. Your going to make a good man very happy one day. _

_I have a special reqwest to make of you. Could you help Mal look after Mattie? Mal will make a fine Pa, I know. But Mattie's gonna be a genius, just like you. Can you teach him some? Help Mal to raise Mattie up to be a good boy?_

_Sorry fer hurting you all those times…_

_Jayne Cobb_

River stepped out into the hall, Jayne's letter crumpled in her hand, tears running down her cheeks. Mal was there, right in front of her.

"Little One…"

"Captain Daddy…"

She walked right into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably on his shoulder.

"Shh…"

She felt his hand smoothing her hair. At least he didn't try to tell her everything was going to be all right…

"I love him," she wailed into Mal's shoulder, and she felt him flinch a little…

"I know, Little One, I know…"

* * *

Jayne Cobb walked through the vast halls of the _John Casey_, heading back to where the alien scout-ship was stowed. A tech met him there.

"She's fuelled and ready to go sir," the tech said. "When you're ready, just signal and the bay doors will open."

Jayne nodded, took a deep breath, and began to clamber inside. Someone was already there…

"What took you so long, buddy?"

Charles Carmichael was grinning at him from the Co-pilot's Seat.

"What the gorram hell are you doin' in there? Get the hell outta there 'fore I kick ya out on yer ass!"

"You can't do that," Carmichael looked indignant. "Every Frodo needs his Samwise."

"Huh?"

Carmichael _tsked_ a little at Jayne….

"Doesn't anyone read Lord of the Rings anymore?"

"Look, Carmichael," Jayne gritted his teeth. "This ain't a trip I expect ta get back from. I'm goin' ta Earth-that-was…"

"You know I was born there?"

""Ya know yer gonna die there?"

"Han Solo!"

Carmichael's delight was tangible; and Jayne felt a jolt of pure fury.

"I ain't jokin' Carmichael," he grabbed the man by the shoulders. "Ya go with me, yer gonna die!"

"Maybe, maybe not," Carmichael looked up at him, all humor suddenly gone. "One thing is certain, though. And that is that I will _not_ let you do this alone, dong ma?"

Just like that, all the anger drained out of Jayne. Ignoring Carmichael, he settled himself into the Pilot's Seat, and watched as the little scout-ship came alive once again. He glanced at Carmichael then.

"You sure 'bout this? No changin' yer mind once we get started."

"I'm as certain of this as I've been of anything in my life, buddy."

Jayne shook his head in wonder.

"Ain't rightly sure what ta say," he finally admitted.

"How about _I'm glad to have you by my side, here at the end of all things?_

"Heh…"

"Hey…" Carmichael's grin widened. "A Genuine Grunt #3. Maybe it really is in the blood after all…"

Jayne snorted as he looked down at the controls, before him, the bay doors opened out into deep space, with all its myriad stars.

The readouts were in alien script, but the Human/Alien Hybrid in Jayne understood what the script said. There was no joystick or anything similar. But Jayne dint need ta use one. He jus' told the ship to move out inta space, and it did what he said…

Now, they was hangin' in space, and Jayne took the time to Flash, updating himself with piloting skills.

"Ya ready?"

"Yep," Carmichael nodded. "Fire away."

Jayne gave the order, and the little ship responded, heading into hyperspace, heading for Earth-that-was…


	17. Chapter 17

**A Mercenary's Tale, Chapter 16**

It had been quiet on _Serenity_ these last few days, everyone just…moping around. Little Kaylee was really trying hard to be everyone's "Go-to bundle of joy", but she had loved Jayne, in a sisterly sort of way, and Captain Malcolm Reynolds had, on occasion, seen that she had been crying.

His First Mate, Zoe Washburne, was as stoic as ever, but then she had seen lots of her friends killed in the Alliance War, so Mal figured she had learned the knack of grieving privately ages ago. Not so, for her husband…

Normally ebullient, and almost as joyful as Kaylee, like the Mechanic, the Pilot was also not his normal self these last few days…

Shepherd Book was spending an awful lot of his time deep in prayer, and Mal knew exactly who he was praying for.

_Same as all the rest of us…_

Doc Simon, too, was showing definite signs of sadness, which might have surprised Mal even just a month or so past. But the Doc and Jayne had sorta patched things up between them; and that was nice to see…

It was River who was breaking Mal's heart here. Young Love-First Love-was always a fraught experience, and that was even when things were normal.

_Normal…_

Mal shook his head. Not much chance of _normal_ here with this crew.

But here was the thing…

The man River had fallen in love with had turned out to be every bit as abnormal as she was. About twenty-five years younger than he looked, Jayne Cobb had turned out to be the result of yet another Fed experiment, one with a history dating back to that period of time just before the _Great Diaspora._

And now he was going off to die…

Mal had settled himself in the kitchen. For some reason the notion of being alone was simply unbearable. From here, he could hear everyone as they went about their tasks, and he didn't feel quite so alone anymore…

_Damn you Jayne! This isn't what I wanted you to do! I should have stopped you…_

But he hadn't, and that was very likely a regret that was going to haunt him for as long as he lived.

The Little Mite was feeling it too. Mattie was whimpering now, a kind of fretful whining that just tore the heart to hear. The Little Albatross had said the Little Mite was missing his Pa. Mal lifted the little body, held it close, feeling tiny little hands clench the fabric of his shirt, the body making a warm spot right over his heart…

"Shh Little Mite…"Mal hummed a little bit of a lullaby, nothing specific, but something with a soothing tune. And, as he gently rocked the baby, and crooned to him, he felt a little bit of peace in his own heart.

_Is this what being a Pa feels like?_

He brought his head up from contemplating the Little Mite, found Inara standing in the doorway to the kitchen. He had no idea how long she had been there, and the look in her eyes…

They were filled with_…something_. Mal wasn't quite sure what it was, but it looked a lot like love…

* * *

River Tam lay on her bed, with her eyes closed. However, she wasn't sleeping. She was focusing her Reading Talent, honing it to a fine pitch. Not too long ago, she had used her Reading ability to track Jayne down so they could rescue him from the Blue Hands. Now, she was hoping to do it again, across interstellar distances.

No Reader had ever done that before. With everyone, all the Core and Rim worlds, all in one very large binary system, there had never been any reason for a Reader to try to scan further.

Now, with Jayne going off to Earth-she didn't want to think he was going there to die-she finally had a reason to test her gift to the maximum.

She knew his mental signature, so now she was sending her mind out questing, in Earth's general direction, praying she would have the necessary strength, Mind, Will, or power, to do it.

_There!_

She had found him, and his mind-with its mixture of ornery stubbornness, and the love for his people that he tried very hard to keep hidden from all and sundry-was now linked to her mind.

In terms of spatial distance he was unimaginably far from her. But, right now, she was with him, right by his side.

Comforted by the thought, River relaxed as she traveled with the man she loved…

* * *

"We're almost there," Chuck Bartowski said as he looked out the cockpit view-screen. They had already entered the Solar System, passed the outer planets, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars. Earth lay dead ahead, still blue and green, still beautiful…

_Still alive…_

"Where d'ya want us ta land?"

Jayne Cobb sounded just a little stressed, and Chuck really couldn't blame him. The man had just piloted a hyperspace-capable ship from his home sector back to earth. Even an accomplished pilot like Washburne would've been a touch overwhelmed by such a trip.

Now, where to land?

Ah!

"I know just the place," Chuck smiled. "It's a place where no Super Soldier would dare go, so we should be safe there."

"So, how 'bout givin' me directions to this place?"

"Sure, buddy," Chuck listed the co-ordinates, and then turned to look at his traveling companion.

"Have you been…_feeling_…anything lately?" he asked.

Jayne frowned at that.

"Ya mean like voices in my head or that kind of gose?"

"Yes," Chuck nodded. "That's what I mean."

"Nah…" Jayne shrugged. "It's jus' a lot of buzzing, kinda like radio static…"

Chuck nodded, relief filling him. The Compact Theorists had been right after all. The magnetite in Jayne's blood, bone, and brain _was_ shielding him from the Alien Over mind

Now they were entering Earth's atmosphere, and heading for the co-ordinates Chuck had listed.

Chuck stepped out of the scout, stretched his legs and looked about.

_Hey, Big Guy, I'm back…_

It was a place of soft grass, with shady trees, and a blank-faced rocky wall overlooked everything.

It was a pretty place, easy on the eyes, and comforting to all the other senses. All in all, a beautiful place to die in…

Chuck closed his eyes, overwhelmed-again-by grief. Here was where his old friend, Colonel John Casey, had died; and that rocky wall…

_Devon and I carried John's body to that wall and we all watched as that wall tore his body apart and took him into itself…_

Jayne Cobb had followed Chuck, was looking around at the place. Now, the Merc proved he was nowhere near as dumb as he sometimes acted…

"This where your John Casey died?"

"Yeah…"Chuck pointed to a large tree. "Right by that tree…"

He remembered that night, would remember it for as long as he lived; John Casey, wrapped up in a warm sleeping bag, General Diane Beckman sitting by his side, holding his hand, there for him right up to the end.

_That was the first, and only time I ever saw her cry…_

"He's in that rocky wall?" Jayne asked.

"Yes," Chuck nodded, tears blurring his vision. "I wanted to bring you here because this is the closest you'll ever come to meeting him."

Jayne looked over at the rocky wall, an unreadable expression in his eyes.

"Think he'll hear it if I talk ta him?"

"I don't know, Jayne," Chuck plopped himself down on the soft grass, saw Jayne follow suit. "I used to come here all the time, before we left Earth. I'd bring a bottle of scotch and some cigars and just spend the entire night yakking at him. I don't know if he heard me, but it made me feel better, so maybe that's the whole point, if you know what I mean."

"I dint bring no scotch, or whiskey neither," Jayne briefly looked sad. "I did bring some cigars; good ones from Harvest. Think he'd like those?"

"I've got some better ones," Chuck smiled sadly as he reached into his backpack, and brought out a small and very old mini-stasis cubicle. In spite of its age-over five hundred years-the thing was still working perfectly.

The thing was about the size of a large box of facial tissue back from the old days on Earth, and it certainly piqued Jayne's interest.

"Watcha got in there?"

"Been saving these for over five hundred years," Chuck said. "I guess I've been saving them for today…"

Chuck brought out a cigar, gave it an experimental sniff; and he smiled. The Costa Gravan cigar was still as fresh as it had been when he put it in the box five hundred years ago…

"here, Jayne…" he passed it over to the Merc.

Jayne handled the cigar cautiously, reverently, rolling it carefully between his fingers, bringing it up to his nose…

The wide smile was so like John Casey's that it hurt to look at Jayne. The Merc nodded, and then hesitated.

"Think he'll mind if I smoke this?"

"Not at all Jayne," Chuck smiled. "Go on and talk to your Pa…"

* * *

Jayne Cobb felt hesitant about approaching that Rocky wall. It dint have no lettering, or dates of birth and death. But it was a tombstone all the same; and the remains interred within were close kin ta him.

"Hope ya don't mind if I smoke this," he spoke to the wall. "Carmichael over there said ya wouldn't mind, and he even gave me this cigar, best I ever had…"

Here, he stopped and listened, 'cause he weren't sure if ghosts were real or not, but he sure dint want to offend one. But all he heard was the sound of the breeze, birds, and insects, marking this ta be a fine summer day…

So, he struck a match, lit the cigar, and drew on it experimentally.

"Carmichael wasn't foolin' when he said they was better than the ones I had…"

He examined the burning cigar with wide eyes.

"They's the best I ever had…"

With the cigar smoke calming his nerves, he focused his attention on _why_ he was here…

"So…" he started. "Uh…Casey, I'm kin o'your's, in a backdoor sorta way, and I'm here 'cause the same ruttin' hundun who killed you are at it again; tryin' ta kill all of us off, and I'm here ta stop them, if I can. Ain't rightly sure how to do it, but I'm gonna try and do m'best, 'cause I'm a Pa now, and I ain't gonna let anyone hurt my Mattie. Guess that sorta makes you his Grandpa, and, if ya kin hear me, I'd like yer blessin' on what I'm about ta do…"

Jayne's voice trailed off uncertainly as the breeze stirred, gently ruffling through his air, and even though the breeze was warm, somehow he felt chills running down his spine; and, in that gentle breeze, he sensed…_approval_.

Was it possible? All he knew was that-all of a sudden-the man, John Casey, became very _real_ to Jayne; almost a physical presence…

Jayne's vision blurred as he faced the wall.

_I'll do what I came here ta do, _he vowed. _Fer Mattie and my friends; and also fer you…_

He stubbed the cigar out, feeling a deep companionship with the man he had long since come to consider his Pa. Then, that duty done, he turned and walked back to Charles Carmichael.

"You ready to go?" Carmichael's gaze was solemn.

"Yeah…" Jayne looked down at the path that led gently downhill…into danger and death.

"Carmichael," he said. "If it gets real hairy, ya _run_, dong ma? No sense in both of us dying."

"Let's just see what the path brings us," Carmichael started down.

Weren't long 'fore they came across…well they looked human, but Jayne dint feel real comfortable calling them _folk_. There was something about these…people…that didn't sit quite right. Like their eyes, with that black oily stuff floating across their pupils, and the whites of their eyes…

Was instinct made him draw his guns, Binky and Boo-Vera and Maxine were back on _Serenity_, willed to Mattie when he was all growed up-and back up a space. Carmichael had also backed up, and the flicker in his eyes said he was Flashin', updating his fighting skills most like. So Jayne did the same.

After that, there was only the fighting, and he kinda lost track of Carmichael, and the black-eyed Aliens came in, hands clawing for his precious life's blood…

Jayne weren't sure if Carmichael had taken his advice ta run, now that things _were_ getting' hairy. But he had long since noticed that Carmichael was a lot like Mal in quite a few ways, so it was just possible that Carmichael hadn't run.

Two of them aliens went down to Binky, and the third was too close for guns, so Jayne broke his neck for him.

Then, stars exploded inside his skull, and he found himself on his knees, co-ordination gone, and weapons clean gone from his hands. A new-comer had entered the fray. Another time and place, Jayne mighta said she was pretty…

Her flying wheel kick to his face put that thought, along with everything else, right out of his mind…

* * *

Shannon McMahon looked down at all the sprawled bodies. Eight Servants lay dead, several others severely wounded, perhaps beyond repair. Only one Servant was uninjured, and it got to its feet cautiously, looking around nervously.

"Are you all right?" McMahon asked.

_I am well, Guardian,_ the Servant looked itself over, checking for injury._ There was another in the fight, Guardian, but it fled upon your most timely arrival._

"Have all the Servants in this are put out an Alert for Intruders," McMahon ordered. "The Masters have been informed, and more Guardians shall be sent out to seek out this second intruder."

She bent and turned the stranger's body over…

If a Super Soldier was capable of feeling surprise, this would have been a good time for it…

The unconscious man was big and bearded, with a nasty bruise purpling the entire left side of his face. But neither the goatee nor the bruise hid the fact that the face was one McMahon knew.

_Knowle Rohrer…_

But Knowle Rohrer had died over five hundred years ago.

She remembered how she had finally tracked Rohrer down all those years ago; found him living under the alias of John Casey, NSA Assassin. She had found him, attacked him, and infected him. It should have worked. He should have died and become another Super Soldier. But he had found a way to outwit her and her Masters; and friends to help him do it…

Now, his remains were safely encased within a wall of magnetite ore, a wall no other Super Soldier dare come near to…

_So, how did __**you**__ come into being?_ She nudged the body with a booted foot.

It didn't matter, she realized. Soon, her Masters would see him, and unravel him. Soon, they would know everything he knew.

_Guardian…_it was a Samantha hailing her from a distance. _We are coming to retrieve the prisoner._

A hover-deck soon arrived, with a Security Detail-six Lesser Super Soldiers-a driver, and the Samantha in charge of the team.

McMahon looked that the Samantha, forever frozen in pre-adolescence, but there was nothing of a child in her eyes.

_Guardian,_ the Samantha said. _We are here to take the prisoner back to the Masters._

"Be careful," McMahon said. "This might be a Knowle Rohrer Clone."

_The template still exists in the Recordium, _the Samantha replied. _If this is, indeed, a Rohrer-clone, the Recordium will verify it._

_**As they communicated, nobody noticed the stealthy figure that scuttled under the hover-deck, somehow managing to adhere itself there, safely out of sight…**_

The security detail worked in silence, producing manacles for hands and feet. Soon, the prisoner was securely trussed to the bed of the Hover-Deck, the Samantha gave her silent orders to her crew, and they were off…

* * *

It was the aching head that finally pulled Jayne Cobb out of the darkness. The left side of his face hurt real bad, kina achy and numb in spots, and he felt kinda nauseous…

He tried ta move, found he was bolted down to the floor, kinda spread-eagled to the floor, with some kinda collar fixed to his neck.

Well…He had known going in he was goin' ta die, and he still went anyway…

_When did I turn inta Mal?_

_Did Carmichael run like I told him ta? Hope he did, although I don't know what he's gonna do now. I'm the only one can fly our stolen scout. Guess that means he's stuck here too…_

He could hear booted footsteps, coming closer. Then a door slid open and lights turned on, revealing a sterile white chamber. There were several of _them_, with their oily black eyes looking down at him like he was a specimen in a jar or somethin'. Among the group there was a child, a girl who seemed to be around twelve years old, or maybe even younger.

"Hey Girly," he tried ta smile in a non-threatening way. "Can ya let me up a bit?"

At the girl's nod, one of the aliens stepped forward, and began to free his shackled limbs…

When he was free, he lashed out, only to collapse in a paroxysm of agony, as pure electric current sizzled through his body…

When it was over, Jayne lay there, curled in upon himself, and it was all he could do jus' ta breathe…

The dark-haired girl bent over him, disapproval in her stern-eyes gaze. Then she looked up at her alien buddies, and Jayne could _see_ the command in her eyes

The aliens hauled him back to his feet, and dragged him off. They took him though a bewildering array of stairs, elevators, corridors, and passages until they came to this vast cavernous space. Jayne looked around, but there was nobody else there. No one to…interrogate him, or whatever it was that folk did with their prisoners…

There was just the girl, himself, the alien guards, and this gigantic pool of black roiling oil…

Instantly, a Flash exploded in his head, and all of a sudden he knowed everything there was ta know about the Alien Black Oil.

The child stepped forward, seeming to be listening to something. It reminded him of River a little…from before her curing; that creepy-eyed look of intense concentration looked exactly the same…

Then she nodded, and gestured to the guards, and they grabbed his arms, began to propel him forward; toward the pool of oil…

Jayne tried ta fight, but one more dose from that gorram shock-collar brought him down, gasping and choking for breath.

The guards dint even bother ta wait 'til he had caught his breath. They grabbed him by the arms and legs and just tossed him right inta that sludgy pool and the last thing he heard before he went under was…gunfire?

_Whatever…Too late now…_

Jayne was drowning, the awful stuff entering his nose and mouth, filling every part of him; and it was true, what they all said 'bout yer entire life flashin' past yer eyes; even those parts of his life that had turned out ta be fake…

_All of two and running up ta his Pa, feelin' strong arms sweep him up and around…_

"_How's my Jayne? How's my wonderful boy?"_

"_It's all right, Son," His Ma beckons him closer to the crib right next to her bed. "Come and see your little brother, Mattie…"_

_**No! Jayne! Don't die!**_

_Lisa, so lovely and delicious, lyin' there in that pile of hay, lookin' so invitin' there…_

_Old Clem doling out the loot after a particularly good job…_

_Meetin' Mal and Zoe fer the first time…_

_**Fight Jayne! Don't let them kill you!**_

_Seein' Little Mooney pop outta the stasis-box, as nekkid as the day she was born…_

_The night spent in the airlock, shit-scared and full of shame at himself…_

_The Little Mite in his arms, the __**rightness**__ of claiming the Little Mite as his own blood…_

_Mooney starin' up at him with tear-stained eyes, begging, pleading…_

_**Don't let them kill you Jayne. Please…**_

_**Mooney..?**_

_**Fight, Jayne! Come back to me. I love you!**_

_**I'm tired, Girl…**_

_**Fight! Swim! Follow me!**_

There was no sense of direction in this pool of sludge, but he felt River with him, guiding him back to the surface.

Just as the last of his reserves faded, he felt a hand grab his shirt collar and haul him up.

Awareness flickering in and out, he felt strong arms squeeze his chest, and now he was gagging and puking, sludgy stuff pouring out of his nose, mouth, and his eyes too. His innards were being scraped raw, every part of him inside and out, as he continued to heave and choke. But _someone_ was holding him; someone was rubbing the back of his neck as he almost literally puked his guts out…

Finally, the Never-ending Spasm from Hell was over, and there was nuthin' left inside him to puke up.

Things went dark after that…

* * *

Chuck Bartowski bent over the unconscious Merc, fear sliding along his nerves. The big man had fainted so quickly after that violent paroxysm, and he could only fear the worst…

Trembling hands felt at the base of Jayne's throat as Chuck offered up countless prayers to a god he wasn't sure existed any more.

The pulse was there, thready and faint, but _there_…

Chuck quickly gathered the unconscious man into his arms. He was aware of what Jayne might do if he woke up to find Chuck holding him like this, but he was just too shaken by what had just happened to care.

_I almost lost you…again._

He couldn't stop the tears this time, as he sat there, holding Jayne tightly. Finally, he pulled himself together…

He looked down at the Merc. Begrimed and begrunged from head to foot, the Black Oil was beginning to dry on Jayne's skin, crumbling into green stuff right before Chuck's eyes. He looked up, at the pool of Black Oil, and a miracle was happening out there in the depths of the pool…

It was bubbling and hissing, as threads of green shot through it, hardening everywhere it went. Soon, the entire pool was still, as it hardened into solid green…stuff.

Chuck blinked. Had it worked? Had Jayne killed the Black Oil?

His eyes screwed shut as fresh tears leaked out. Jayne had done it. He had really done it…

John Casey, Dana Scully, and so many others…they were all finally avenged…

"Mooney…"Jayne's voice was slurred. "I'm comin' girl…Jus' let me rest a set…"

"Jayne?" purest relief coursed through Chuck.

The other man's eyes fluttered open, and he peered up owlishly at Chuck.

"Thought I told ya ta run," his voice was no more than a rusty-sounding croak.

"I did," Chuck nodded. "Then I followed them when they took you. I think you did it. Unless there are other pools of Black Oil somewhere…"

Jayne tried to sit up, as Chuck steadied him.

"Take it easy buddy," he chided the Merc. "You almost died back there."

Jayne looked frightened.

"There's stuff in m'head wasn't there before…"

"What stuff?"

Jayne looked over at what used to be a pool of Black Oil.

"I got it from _them_," he looked awed. "I know everything they know, and they was real overconfident. All the Masters were here, in their pool, and I killed them all. I know I did. There's only the one's on Osiris now. There's a few Masters there, jus' a small pool. But they're plannin' on making more Reavers there, on Osiris. We gotta get back."

Jayne got to his feet, for all of three seconds. Chuck caught him before he went back down.

"You're not in any shape to travel," he said.

"No gorram choice," the Merc said. "I dint almost die here so they could succeed on Osiris."

So, they staggered out, Jayne leaning on Chuck for support.

Outside, things were…unsettling…

Chuck, looking around, saw what looked to be a child's body, slowly fizzing away into green foamy nothingness. There was enough left of the face for Chuck to Flash on it, and the knowledge gleaned from the Flash broke his heart…

_Samantha Mulder, kidnapped by unknown sources in Nineteen Seventy-Three…_

It was a small mercy that Fox Mulder had never really learned of his little Sister's ultimate fate…

The Samantha-clone wasn't the only one out there. Several other bodies were just sitting or standing motionless, as if they had been switched off in mid-stride. Chuck recognized one of those motionless bodies.

Shannon McMahon was standing right in front of the Hover-deck they had all come in on.

"Jus' like Miranda," Jayne rasped. "They's all jus'…stopped."

He looked at the Hover-Deck.

"Think we kin steal that?"

"There's no one here capable of stopping us," Chuck grinned. "Hop in the passenger seat."

"What if it's like the scout?"

"You up to driving? I mean, you look dead beat, and I'm not really in favor of dying in a crash after all we've come through."

"Yeah," Jayne nodded. "But I could hang on long enough to get us back to the scout if need be."

Turned out it was necessary. The blasted Hover-Deck just sat there with Chuck at the wheel. Then Jayne, cursing fluently in Mandarin, sat himself down at the controls, and everything just blinked on.

Chuck laid a hand on the Merc's shoulder.

"_Don't _fall asleep," was all he said.

* * *

Jayne Cobb dint fall asleep. Near half an hour later, they was back where they had parked the scout, back at the place where John Casey was buried. Somehow, he couldn't leave without paying his respects to his progenitor.

So, arming himself with another of Chuck's Costa Gravan Cigars, he walked over to the wall of magnetite ore.

"It's done," he exhaled a cloud of smoke. "I killed them, fer you, and fer Dana Scully too. I'd made a promise, y'see, to make them what killed her pay, and I done part of what I promised. Still more ta do, but that's back where I come from. _Here_, the Aliens are all dead and dying, though. Thought ya'd like ta know that…"

There was no answer. But again, there was that breeze, and that sense of approval warming the air around him.

Jayne stepped back to prepare the scout, saw Carmichael at the wall.

"I'll come back soon, John," he heard Carmichael say. "When everyone's finally safe."

Then, he followed Jayne into the stolen Alien scout, and they were off, heading back for home…

* * *

"Captain-Daddy!"

Little Albatross' eyes were shining as she burst into the kitchen.

"They're back! They'll be docking in just a minute!"

Captain Mal Reynolds stood up slowly, taking care not to disturb the Little Mite, snuggled against his chest. Everyone was gathering in the Family Room, even the Operative, who had been doing his best to stay out of sight these past several days. The Alien subversion of his bosses had given him a terrible taste of uncertainty, and even Mal had to admit he felt a little sorry for the man.

_Ain't an easy thing to realize everything you've worked for and believed in was a lie…_

But now the door was opening, and two long-awaited travelers entered…

River hurled herself into Jayne Cobb's arms, and it was perhaps a sign of just how tired the Merc was that she almost knocked him right over.

Carmichael was there, looking just a touched worried as he stared at the Merc; and as for Jayne Cobb…

The man looked like he had been beaten up one side and down the other with very heavy sticks. There was a nasty purple and black bruise on the left side of his face, and he was…cruddy all over…greenish-black…stuff encrusted in his clothing, hair, and skin.

Judging by the slump to his shoulders, it looked like Jayne was also on the fine edge of total exhaustion. But he had an arm around the Little Witch, and he didn't look like he really wanted to let go…

"Give him room to breathe, _mei-mei," _ Doc Simon walked up. "I'd like you to come to Sickbay so I can take a look at you. River told me some of what happened to you, and it sounds like a miracle you survived at all."

"Was due to two people, my livin' 'stead of dying," Jayne spoke gruffly. "Without Mr. Carmichael, and my little Mooney, I'd be dead, and that's for sure."

He looked down at River, snuggled in his arm, and he smiled a little.

"She wouldn't let me give up," he admitted. "Even though I wanted ta…"

"Mighty glad it worked out that way," Mal drawled, still holding Mattie. "You should let the Doc look you over, and get some sleep, before I hand your son back to you. You look like the Little Albatross is the only thing keeping you on your feet right now."

"That could be true, Mal," Jayne was blushing a little.

"Did you succeed?" the Operative was finally breaking his several days of silence.

"Yeah…" Jayne nodded. "The only ones left are the ones on Miranda and Osiris, and the ones on Miranda we kin ignore fer now. The ones on Osiris have plans to turn Osiris inta another Miranda."

"We'll discuss that tomorrow," Mal was using his Captainy voice again, as he gently patted Mattie's back.. "River? Jayne?"

The pair, still arm-in-arm, turned as one, looking at Mal with identical wide-eyed expressions

"Uh…yeah Mal?"

Jayne's voice sounded…trembly.

Mal regarded the mis-matched pair. Then he sighed…

"Three years," he said. "If y'all can wait three years, you'll both have my blessing."

With that, Captain Mal Reynolds turned and left the room.

* * *

Jayne Cobb felt as if all the air had been punched right outta his lungs

"He dint just say what I think he said…"

"Yes, he did, Jayne-man," River's chuckle warmed him to the tips of his toes. Then, he reeled a little, and it was only Mooney's grip on him that kept him from plantin' his face inta the carpet.

"You'd better let Simon look at you," Carmichael said softly

"Aw…" Jayne grumbled. "Nuthin' wrong with me that a soft bed can't cure…"

"You're probably right," Doc Simon agreed. "But you went through a lot back there, and I just want to make sure you're all right."

This was how he found himself in Doc Simon's Sickbay, sittin' on one of the beds with his shirt off, hissin' in pain as the Doc poked at those purple and black bruises on his rib-cage.

It turned out ta be a simple case of bruised ribs; nuthin broken, and no internal bleedin' for which Jayne was grateful.

Now, something else was troublin' the Merc…

"Ya heard what Mal said?"

"Yes," the Doc nodded. "There's only one thing I want to know from you. What do you _feel_ for River?"

"Feel…" Jayne frowned. "I ain't never been a man of words, Doc, and you know that…"

"I understand, Jayne," Simon looked up as he finished taping Jayne's ribs. "But she's my _sister_ and I don't want her hurt."

Jayne guffawed at that.

"Don't worry, Doc," he said as he chuckled. "Anyone hurts the little Witch, he's gonna get his balls served up to him on a plate. She ain't the delicate flower she used ta be. She's _strong_, Doc; like iron or steel."

"But what do you feel for her?" the Doc persisted in askin', and after all they'd been through, perhaps he deserved an answer. And maybe Jayne deserved an answer from his soul too…

So, he did his best ta sort through everything that lay in his heart, did his best ta put spoken words to it all…

"I don't know what the word, _love_ means, Doc," he took a breath, continued. "But I think Mattie, the Little Mite, gave me a clue. Like how I feel full of…somethin'…when I got him in my arms. Well, I get that feelin' too, when I'm with the Little Witch, like my world is a better place when she's in it. And, if she weren't…well…a place deep inside of me would be empty if she weren't here…"

Simon was so quiet, so still, his eyes never leaving Jayne's face. Then, he sighed a little, and his features softened.

"Then," the Doc said. "If you and River can wait three years, I'll be happy to dance at your wedding…"

* * *

Chuck Bartowski felt drained, in body and soul, the events of the day finally catching up with him…

Jayne Cobb had almost died today.

But he had succeeded. The Aliens on Earth were dead. Only Miranda and Osiris were left.

John Casey's death had been avenged…

Chuck's self-appointed five-hundred-year task was almost done.

Sitting on his bed, he looked at the photo taken on the happiest day of his life.

_The Bride and Groom in their wedding attire, with the Matron of Honor and her husband, and the Groom's Best Man…_

Ellie and Captain Awesome…and Morgan Grimes…

_John should've been there too…_

He finger-kissed the beautiful Bride, Sarah Walker, Sarah Bartowski…

_Love you…Miss you…_

As always, he placed the photo on the bedside table, _just so…_

So their smiling faces would be the first thing he saw when he woke up in the morning…


	18. Chapter 18

**A Mercenary's Tale**

**Chapter 17**

_He's drowning in an ocean of black oily sludge, choking as the awful stuff fills his mouth, nose, and lungs; and it's the girl's voice that pulls him out and away…_

"_It's only a dream, Jayne," River speaks in his head. "Wake up…"_

Jayne Cobb opened his eyes, looked around cautiously.

_Yeah…Safe in my bunk…_

He sat up slowly, stiff and sore in every part of his body. He frowned as he looked down at his clean hands. His memory of the night before, after Simon Tam had examined him was pretty spotty. He remembered telling the Doc he needed ta take a shower, wash all that Black Oil crud off, and the Doc had told him he wasn't gonna take that shower without someone there, just in case he fainted in the shower.

Jayne dug inta his memory a little more.

Yeah…Doc Simon _had_ accompanied him down to the shower-room and stood guard, although he'd had the decency to wait outside the stall while Jayne got cleaned up. Then, after that, the Doc had walked Jayne down to his bunk and made sure he got inta bed safely, all but tucking him in fer the night.

It had kinda irked Jayne, all this attention being lavished on him, as if he were a frail and delicate flower.

_He's just being…doctorly…Jayne_, River's voice sounded in his head. _Are you actually going to get out of bed today?_

_I'm thinkin' I might, Mooney…_

_Good. Shepherd Book's making pancakes in honor of your glorious victory._

_Flapjacks, huh?_

_Yes,_ Jayne could feel her smile. _So you'd better come down soon, or it will all be gone…_

Jayne got out of bed as quickly as his aching body permitted, found a clean set of clothing already laid out for him-Doc Simon again, no doubt-got dressed, and headed out in search of breakfast.

"Good morning, Jayne," Shepherd Book handed him a mug of fresh-brewed coffee, went back to cooking the pancakes and sausages.

"Think he meant to say _good afternoon_," Mal set a glass of orange juice in front of Jayne. "Seeing as its past noon right now."

Jayne was aghast.

"I slept over twelve hours?"

"Your body had been badly stressed," River Tam sat down next to him. "And sleep is a most excellent treatment for bodily stress."

"Speaking of bodily stress," Simon planted himself on Jayne's other side. "If you'll pardon me…"

The Doc took his pulse right then and there.

"As steady as a metronome," he finally announced. "You're fine."

"I coulda told ya that, Doc," Jayne was just a little miffed.

That was when Shepherd Book slid a plate in front of Jayne; a plate with blueberry pancakes, butter, maple syrup, and sausage.

Everyone was now sitting down at the battered-looking Dining-room table. Wash was holding Mattie, and there was a funny little game going on; one that involved lots of tickling and giggles.

"Hey, little man!" Jayne mock-snarled. "Gimme my son!"

And now Jayne's family was complete. With River by his side, Mattie in his arms, and the others all around him, he realized he had the one thing that all the money, and power, in the 'verse simply could not provide.

_We're all family. We're all together…_

"Hey, Little Mite…" he murmured. "Remember me?"

The little hand reached out, grabbed his nose, and Jayne's heart felt full, near ta burstin'…

So, breakfast was a happy time, filled with family and good food. But Jayne found himself worryin' about the aliens on Osiris and what they were plannin' ta do.

_They're gonna make more Reavers there; just like they done on Miranda…_

"Jayne," Captain Mal Reynolds was also apparently ready to discuss business. "Can you tell us exactly what you learned on Earth?"

So Jayne did precisely that, detailing his experiences, Charles Carmichael also adding his little bit.

"So, the Alien Masters ain't even human-like at all?"

"No, Captain," Charles Carmichael took up the tale. "They have various classes of underlings which _are_ human…to a certain extent, that is. But the original aliens that came to Earth and also have found their way here…_Those_ are actually more of a virus that has achieved sentience in the form of a hive mind."

"Yeah," Jayne nodded. "Carmichael said it far better than I could, but these…_Masters_…live in a pool of Black Oil, and they're a virus, and my blood did kill the big pool of Masters on Earth. But they sent some Masters to Osiris, along with some Bounty Hunters."

"Bounty Hunters…" Mal said the words slowly, and Jayne could see where the man's thoughts were going…

"Not that kind, Mal," he spoke quickly. "They're just the Masters' personal killers. Even more than the Super Soldiers, which were just' supposed to be somethin' like reg'lar army. There's a few of those Bounty Hunters, and a small pool of Masters, and they're planning to make more Reavers on Osiris by puttin' the Reaver virus inta the water, just like on Miranda…"

"Do you know where the Black Oil pool is located?" the Operative finally spoke up.

"Yeah," Jayne nodded. "What I learned is that the Masters are hiding out in Senate House. One of the Senators who got took by the aliens-Senator Maxwell Jameson-has a kinda private apartment there, and that's where the Masters pool is."

"All right…" Mal's eyes went to each member of his crew. "None of us have any reason to like the Alliance; but I conjure this is one threat we can't ignore. We need to stop them from making more Reavers, and we also need to deal with the alien masters."

"Split up into two groups," Carmichael spoke up. "One group goes after the Masters, the other deals with the…Servants…and keeps them from tainting the water supply."

"So, who goes with whom?" Shepherd Book asked.

"Okay," Mal drew a deep breath. "River and Simon go deal with the water supply. I trust Jayne will donate a little blood so Simon can synthesize a vaccine. Zoe and Mr. Carmichael will accompany the Tam siblings; make sure they get to their destination."

"I already took some blood from Jayne yesterday, while I was examining him," Simon raised a hand. "The vaccine is already synthesized."

Jayne grunted. He remembered that.

"Ya dint even ask?" he growled.

"You were dead on your feet Jayne," the Doc apologized. "Besides, where else was I supposed to get the blood? Would you have felt any better if I had stuck my needles in Mattie?"

"Nah…" Jayne shrugged uneasily. "Yer right Doc. Just tell me next time, dong ma?"

"I'll remember. Sorry…"

"All right," Jayne sat up straighter. "So, who goes with me?"

"The Operative, for one," Mal replied. "And Louisa Beckman if Mr. Carmichael doesn't mind."

"He won't object," Louisa spoke up. "And, besides, I have a mind of my own, and I would've volunteered in any event."

"You tell'im!" Carmichael grinned at that.

"So I conjure that's a _yes_," Mal sat back. "And, lastly, I'm also volunteering myself, Jayne. If you'll have me."

"An extra gun is an extra gun," Jayne nodded.

"All right," Mal nodded. "Of the two targets, vaccinating the water supply is the more important one."

"Yes," Simon Tam nodded. "Especially when we realize that Miranda was not the most heavily populated planet in the Alliance. Osiris has that particular honor, with maybe four, or even five times the total planetary population, and I'm sure the aliens have been working to perfect the virus, make its Reaver effect stronger."

"Let's just hope Jayne's blood is up to the task," Mal stood.

"It was when they dumped me inta their pool on Earth," Jayne said. "Carmichael told me the pool went dead in just a matter of minutes."

"Yes," Carmichael nodded. "His blood is a very fast-acting vaccine. So, are we ready to go?"

Mal looked downright sad now.

"It's likely we'll all be going to meet our Maker," he spoke softly. "So I ain't rightly makin' this an order, 'cause it might be too much for some of us."

"I ain't got a choice Mal," Jayne said. "It's either me or Mattie, so it's me…"

"And my whole life has been leading up to this moment," Carmichael said. "And Louisa's whole life too."

"It lies within our abilities to finish this," River Tam said. "To end this for good, and avenge all those who fell in this fight."

"Agreed," the Operative nodded. "I took oaths to defend the Alliance, her citizens, from anything that might threaten their lives, liberty, and freedom. I intend to continue doing so…"

"If only you could've met John Casey," Chuck murmured. "You and he would've seen eye-to-eye on that."

Mal nodded at that, and then turned to regard his misfit crew.

"Then rest up, and prepare for what's coming."

* * *

It was time now, and River Tam felt…_edgy_

Her Reading abilities told her the aliens were now aware of what had happened back on Earth-that-was.

"That has forced them to act prematurely," she informed both teams. "Jayne, you will need to attack the Masters directly as quickly as possible."

Jayne nodded as he settled his weapons, both Vera and Maxine strapped to his back, various other guns and knives tucked away in his clothing.

"Just see that the water is safe," he said. "Don't need any more Reavers around here."

"We'll do that," River promised.

Everyone piled aboard Inara's shuttle. Then, at the Main Spaceport, the two teams separated, heading for their specific destinations.

_Back on Osiris…_

It was no longer home, River realized. _Home_ was a Firefly ship called _Serenity_. Home was her beloved Captain-Daddy; and Home was Jayne Cobb…

Somehow, Jayne's mind, with its linear, uncomplicated qualities, seemed to be a calming essence for her own mind; even when-as now-he was irritated.

The path to the Senate House entailed Jayne's team to dress up as Janitors.

_How the gorram hell am I supposed to hide my weapons?_

Fortunately, the Operative's answer had been those things one always saw janitors using, heavy devices meant to carry all the cleaning things that were stock-in-trade for janitors. Everyone's weapons could be stashed in there…

No matter. River had other fish to fry…

Simon Tam was standing right next to her, and his mind had a definitely uneasy cast to it, in spite of having been given to items of _COMPACT_ provenance; a bio-scanner, and a bio synthesizer. He also have a vial of vaccine, synthesized from Jayne's blood, and with Jayne's blood still in the synthesizer, he could make more if he needed to. Now, all they needed was the location of the Main Water Supply that serviced the capital city of Osiris.

But Charles Carmichael was already Flashing on that, so they were all good to go…

"It's this way," he said as he headed off; Zoe Washburne keeping him company…

As they drew near the designated target, River had everyone stop so she could take a Reading.

"They're already in there," she said. "Gloating over our future destruction."

"Then maybe we should teach them a lesson about counting their chicks before they've hatched…"

Zoe drew her Mare's Leg.

"How many River?" she asked.

"Four of them," the girl replied.

"Then we go in hard and fast," Carmichael said. He looked at Simon Tam, smiling sadly.

"Right about now, I would be telling you to stay in the car," he said softly. "But it's never safe in the car, is it? Just try to stay out of the line of fire, okay?"

"Understood," Simon nodded grimly, and Carmichael nodded as he swung his attention back to River and Zoe.

"All right," he said. "Let's do this…"

The aliens didn't really have much of a chance against the attackers who swept into the Water Purification Chamber. Soon, there was only one left standing, and three green puddles of melting ooze. But the one survivor had bad news for the humans…

"You're too late, Children of Terra," he said, eyes swirling with black oil. "The Water is Tainted, and you all face your doom."

"Just as well I came along then," Simon Tam straightened from crouching over the open water main, the now-empty vial of vaccine in his hand.

River nodded at that.

"Thank you Simon," she said. Then she turned back to the alien.

"Simon has just introduced a vaccine into the water supply," she told the alien. "The very same vaccine that just destroyed all the alien Masters on Earth. Now, it is time for you to die."

_No mercy_, she told herself. _No mercy for those who killed so many over five hundred years. No mercy for those who created Reavers to rend humanity…_

Senator Singh had intended to make her a weapon to destroy the Reavers, and their creators. Very well…

Just this once she would embrace that role.

She spun, moving faster than the human eye could follow, dagger slashing. Then, the dance was done, and River looked down at the body, slowly dissolving into green sludge, at her feet. It was done…

The water supply was safe. Now, it was up to Jayne and his team…

* * *

_We succeeded. The water-supply of Osiris is safe…_

River Tam's voice sounded in Jayne Cobb's head.

"Jayne?" Mal spoke just behind him. "It makes me powerfully uneasy when you just stop like that. Anything you want to tell us?"

"Gorramit!" Jayne hissed. "I ain't quite used to Mooney speakin' inside m'head like that."

"What did she say?"

"Just that the water's safe now, okay?"

He turned to face the rest of the group; a harmless-looking quartet of janitors that no one would even think to look at once, let alone twice. They were now deep inside the bowels of the Senate House, on their way to the private Office of one Senator Maxwell Jameson. The supply-cart was hiding everyone's weapons, and Jayne kinda wondered when he would get the chance to use them. All this skulking around made him all kinds of itchy…

But the Operative was leading the group onward, and-since they were lowly janitors-the few people they saw there took no notice of them

_I reckon that's about to change…_

The knowledge gleaned from being immersed in a pool of Black Oil told him that three senators had been killed and replaced by Bounty Hunters who could change their forms so they looked like just about anyone.

_They'll be protecting their Masters, and doing their bidding…_

The Masters-the hive mind suspended in the Black Oil-was hiding somewhere in Senator Jameson's private quarters…

And Jayne was standing right in front of the door to Senator Jameson's office.

Things were about to get…interesting.

The Operative knocked on the door, and a voice spoke on the other end, a woman's voice, and something told Jayne that she was human, untainted by anything alien…

"Who is it?"

"Cleaners…" Jayne was astounded by the change in the Operative's voice. Normally his voice was every bit as cultured-sounding as Simon Tam's. Now, though…

He sounded just like Badger…

"We're 'ere for the cleanin' ma'am," he said.

"Oh for…" the woman sounded exasperated. "Senator Jameson is in a late meeting. Can't this wait?"

"We're on a schedule, ma'am," the Operative continued in Badger-speak. "And it's our arses if we don't keep to it."

The door opened, and the woman stepped out.

"Look, you-"then she recognized the Operative, but it was too late.

Louisa Beckman moved to immobilize the woman.

"She ain't one of _them_," Jayne said.

"I'll tie her up and gag her," Louisa said.

After that was done, everyone got their weapons out of the supply-cart, and the woman-bound and gagged, was stuffed inside. Now it was time to get to business…

Jayne took the lead now, walking into Senator Jameson's private office.

Four Senators were there. Maxwell Jameson, Hu Chiang, Maurice Darrow, and Jared Molina.

And Jared Molina was the only one who wasn't an alien. Again, Jayne just _knew_ that.

_Sorta like little Mooney able to Read things…_

Jameson stood straight, hand reaching for the Comm unit on his desk; but Jayne was faster, and Maxine sliced right through the man's wrist, cutting off his hand, and sprayin' that nice fancy desk with green alien blood…

Fortunately, Jared Molina had backed up, in shock over the sudden appearance of Jayne's team, and now he backed up even further when he saw that Jameson wasn't bleeding red like regular folk; so he was out of the range of the toxic effects of the green blood.

The rest of his team too-Mal, the Operative, and Louisa-had also stepped back and weren't affected by the blood either. Jayne, of course, was just as immune to it all as the aliens were.

"Oh my god…"Molina stared at the green blood sprayed over the desk. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Alien invasion," Jayne rasped, glaring at Jameson, daring him to deny it.

"_Aliens?"_ Molina squeaked. "There's no such thing as aliens."

"There's no such thing as folk who bleed green either," Mal pointed out. "So explain _that_."

He pointed at the desk, slowly being eaten away by the green acidic blood.

"混帳傢伙" Molina whispered, staring at the sight, then swung his gaze back to Jameson's hand, already growing back, right in front of everyone's eyes.

Jameson sighed. Then he seemed to morph somehow, becoming a much larger man, a square-jawed man who looked like he ate puny ninety-pound weaklings for breakfast.

"Kill them all," he ordered. "Senator Molina too."

But Jayne, and the others, were ready for them…

Jayne Flashed, and he flipped right over the Alien Bounty Hunter, and planted a dagger right in the back of the Bounty Hunter's neck. Aware of his companions doing the same, he watched as the Bounty Hunter stumbled to his knees, then fell forward onto his face, fingers and feet already beginning to melt into green stuff on the carpeted floor.

And, as he watched, two other green pools of slush joined the first one on the floor.

Jayne looked up at Senator Molina then.

"You're gonna need a new carpet."

Senator Molina was in a state of shock, it seemed.

"W-what's happening?"

Jayne heard the blind terror in the man's voice.

"Like I told ya," he said. "Aliens, tryin' to kill us all. Can you help us? There's more we gotta find."

"Where?" Molina asked.

"Where's Jameson's bedroom? That's where they're hiding."

"You mean _here?"_

"I think my uncouth friend is asking if Senator Jameson has a private little apartment stashed away in the Senate House." Mal spoke up now.

"Yes, he does," Molina was trembling. "But I don't want to see any more of _those…"_

"Just lead us there," Mal continued, throwing a companionable arm around his shoulders. "That's why we're here, dong ma? We'll take care of those green-blooded aliens so you don't have to see them anymore…"

"Some do," Molina nodded shakily. "Not all of us. But Senator Jameson does…I mean…did."

"So, take us there," Jayne said. "And we'll deal with those too."

Senator Jameson's private apartment was austerely furnished, belonging to a man who had no interest in luxurious fripperies, and Jayne couldn't tell if that was the Alien all along, or if that contempt for inane frivolity came from the original Maxwell Jameson.

"That was the real Senator," the Operative must have sensed Jayne's confusion. "Senator Jameson was a good man. He only wanted to protect the citizens of the Alliance. And they killed him, and an alien took his place."

"Were they going to do the same to me?"

Molina stood there, wide-eyed.

"Looks like it," Jayne grunted. "Now hush up and let me do my work…"

He walked into the bedroom; but there was no gigantic four-poster bed in there. Instead, there was a large tank.

Full of roiling Black Oil…

And Jayne knew exactly what to do. He walked up to the tank, the dagger in his right hand. Standing over the tank, he slashed his left hand with the dagger, slicing right into the palm, and yeah, it hurt. But every drop of blood that was dripping into that tank of Black Oil was a nail in the aliens' coffin, so Jayne made his left hand into a fist, and squeezed out as much blood from his slashed hand as he could.

And, as his blood dripped into the Black Oil, the sludgy stuff roiled and bubbled, streaks of green running through it, marbling it until it was all over…

And Jayne unclenched his left hand, relaxed the fingers, as he stared at the tank full of a solid green rocky substance.

Jayne looked down at his hand, wondering how many stitches Doc Simon would have to do…

His hand was healing right in front of his eyes, the wound closing and growing smaller as he watched.

_Son of a bitch…Maybe my bein' strange ain't such a bad thing after all…_

* * *

_Two weeks later_

The inhabitants of Osiris never really knew how close they came to total disaster. There had been a mild epidemic of some sort, but there'd only been a few casualties; those bodies incinerated by Federal Law.

But the bulk of the population made complete recoveries, and a Public Announcement was put out that a new type of flu virus had swept through the planet.

So no one knew that a group of unsung heroes had just saved the entire 'verse, and those unsung heroes were only too glad to remain that way.

Senator Jared Molina did do a few things on behalf of those heroes; things like erasing their past criminal histories, removing the bounties on River and Simon Tam's heads, and unfreezing Jayne Cobb's assets.

Even the Aliens still hiding out on Miranda had been dealt with. The Alliance had sent a major military task force out there, and they had nuked the entire planet from high orbit. It was the only way to be sure…

To Malcolm Reynolds, that meant they could all take up their lives again, now that the danger had been averted.

But, now he kinda felt at a total loss. Legitimate work was more freely available now, and smuggling, and looking for ways to give the Alliance the finger, no longer felt as satisfying as it used to.

Jayne Cobb had asked to go to Haven, so that was where they went.

Right now, Mal was watching Jayne as he worked on Scully's grave. The man had brought batches of roses, of all colors, red, white, and yellow. Now, he was planting them all in the area of turf that was Scully's grave.

"Mal," Jayne didn't look up from his work.

"Jayne," Mal squatted down right next to him. "The Little Albatross tells me you've been thinking interesting thoughts. _Her_ words exactly. So, what have you been thinking on?"

Jayne sighed, a rueful sound Mal never expected to hear from Jayne.

"Guess I'll hafta get used to her bein' in my head…"

"I guess so, Jayne…" Mal said. "So, what are you thinking about?"

"You know, I'm rich…"

"So they say," Mal nodded.

"Remember Doc Simon tellin' me I could buy a whole fleet of ships, and crew too?"

"Yeah…"

Mal remembered that day.

_We were all in Scully's parlor, and Jayne fainted because she told him he was only fifteen years old…_

Finished with the roses, Jayne stood, and wiped his hands on his cargos, looking up at the sky.

"Earth is still real nice," he looked upwards thoughtfully. "And the Pacters have already begun fixin' up whatever damage the aliens did. Maybe we could help folk recolonize the Earth. I'm thinkin' my money can make that happen…"

Mal felt his heart skip a beat at Jayne's words.

_To go back to the planet we all came from…_

"I don't know, Jayne," he finally said. "That's a huge undertaking."

"Better than goin' on with what we was doin' before," Jayne pointed out. "Smuggling and petty theft is all right when you ain't got anything else. But we got _family _now, Mal, and I got Mattie. I just don't want to lose any more than what we've already lost. It's bad enough Mattie will never know his Granma Scully. I just don't want Mattie to lose his Aunt Zoe or Uncle Mal, or any of the others. It ain't like we need to hustle to earn some coin either. Even you've been earnin' better lately too. It's time we found us a safe line of work; one with less shootin' and stuff…"

Mal sighed.

Gorramit, but Jayne was right. It was time for a change…

"So what do you have in mind, Jayne? A transport agency shipping colonists back to Earth?"

"Yeah," Jayne nodded. "Like I said, the Pacters have already done what needs doin' with Earth, and the planet's fine now. We could start right now, if you're of a mind to do it."

"So…Reynolds &Cobb?"

"Hey… _my_ idea…my money," Jayne grinned. "Cobb &Reynolds."

In the end, after much squabbling back and forth, they decided to call the operation _Serenity Enterprises; _and it turned out to be a rousing success…


	19. Chapter 19

**A Mercenary's Tale**

**Epilogue**

_2535 AD_

Matthew John Cobb awakened on the morning of his eighteenth birthday. In the early morning, he listened to the sounds around him, in the big house, and outside it too. The Little'uns were already up and raising Cain, and soon, either his Mama, or his Pa, would come down and lay down the law…

Mattie was in no hurry to get out of bed. He'd dreamed last night; replayed one of his happiest memories…

_He's only three years old. But, on __**this**__ day, he's been given something very important to do…_

_His Pa is getting married today. He's gonna marry River, and Mattie's been told that __**that**__ means he'll be able to call her __**Mama**__!_

_He holds that word in his heart as Uncle Simon gets him dressed, and it's the same kind of formal clothes all the grownups are wearing, and Mattie feels so special and grownup because he's wearing the same kind of clothes as Uncle Simon is._

_Mattie's been told he's going to carry the Rings, so that means he's got something to do; just like Uncle Simon, who's going to walk his Sister down the aisle, and Uncle Book, who's going to wed Jayne Cobb and River Tam._

_And it happens just like Aunt Kaylee said it would. Uncle Simon walks River down the aisle, and __**she**__ looks just like a princess with her long white gown, veil, and the train._

_And Pa's wearing those formal clothes too, although he's not as comfortable wearing them as Uncle Simon is._

"_We'd better snag a photo for posterity," Uncle Mal says. "So we'll have proof that Jayne really __**did**__ wear a tux."_

"_Already did," Uncle Chuck's grinning wide. "Everyone's going to get a copy."_

"_He's looking unexpectedly good in that suit," Aunt Inara comments. "But you're not surprised at all, Chuck."_

"_No," Uncle Chuck explains. "I'd seen Casey wear those a million times over, and he always wore them well. I kinda figured Jayne would wear them well too…"_

"_Just look at River!" Aunt Kaylee exclaims. "She's just so…shiny!"_

_Even a three-year-old boy can see the truth of that. The bride is…__**radiant**__. She shines with joy and happiness. But the groom is radiant too, and that makes Mattie happy, because he's happy whenever his Pa is happy._

_So, Mattie watches as Uncle Book starts the ceremony, and soon it's time for the Rings. Mattie steps over carefully, the two Wedding Bands reposing on the silken cushion in his hands. His Pa takes one of the Rings, and ruffles Mattie's hair. Then, he slips the Wedding Ring on River's finger._

"_With this Ring, I thee wed…"_

_And Pa's voice is so gentle as he says the words, his voice a gentle rumble, and River's voice trembles as she says __**her**__ words and slips the other Ring-a much larger one-on Jayne's finger_

_Then, everyone hushes, and Uncle Book says the words everyone's been waiting to hear._

"_I now pronounce you husband and wife."_

_His Pa lifts the bridal veil, and there's something deep in his eyes as he looks down on his wife; and he and River kiss-like they're supposed to…_

_Everyone cheers and they all throw rice at the new-married pair._

"_Are you my Mama now?"_

"_Yes!" River lifts Mattie and hugs him tightly. Then Jayne plucks him out of his new Mama's arms and swings him about._

"_Yeah, Little Mite," he says. "We're all family now."_

_Now, Uncle Mal has him._

"_Just tonight," Mal says. "You're going to stay with me and 'Nara, so Jayne and River can have a proper Wedding Night."_

"_Amen…" Mattie's Pa speaks fervently as he looks down at his bride._

_Mattie doesn't know what it is that makes Wedding Nights so important, but both his Pa and Mama seem to be looking forward to it very much._

_But, before the Wedding Night, there's going to be a Wedding Lunch, and there's going to be dancing, and __**cake**__…_

Now, all these years later, the house that Mattie's Pa had built was full of laughter, family, and love.

Neither Jayne nor River had any children of their own blood. The Blue Hands from the Academy had rendered River incapable of bearing children; and Jayne's magnetite-infused blood was too far off human standards for normal conception to take place.

So they had decided to adopt; and they had done so with a vengeance. Mattie had been given scores of siblings to lord it over and protect; and protect them he had.

"It's in your blood, Mattie," Uncle Chuck had explained to him. "Both Jayne, your Pa, and John, your Grandpa, were guardians, back in the day. It's probably hard-wired into your genes to be a protector."

_Uncle Chuck…_

Mattie sighed and closed his eyes.

Uncle Chuck had died when Mattie was fifteen. It hadn't been an unexpected thing. He had stopped taking the anti-aging pills when Mattie was thirteen, so they all knew it was coming.

Mama had sat Mattie down and explained it all to him.

_He stayed for Jayne, Mattie,_ she had said. _And he stayed for you. But all those whom he knew and loved are dead and gone. Sarah Walker, Ellie and Devon, and Morgan…they've all been dead for five hundred years, and he out-stayed his time just for Jayne and you. Chuck needs to go home now…_

Uncle Chuck had aged quickly after stopping the pills, going from early middle-age to elderly and frail in just a matter of months. But his decline had been a gentle one, surrounded by family and love; and his death, had been a peaceful one.

In his Last Will and Testament, he had left all his worldly possessions to River Tam; _Orion Enterprises_, and all the techy stuff; including the Intersect…

Chuck had asked to be cremated, and his ashes scattered on one of the beaches on the Pacific Coast. So, when Mattie was fifteen, the family all piled aboard _Serenity_, and Jayne, much to Wash's amazement, piloted the Firefly all the way to Earth.

They had put down on a nameless beach, and, as the sun set, turning the ocean to golden and blue fire, Jayne had scattered the Chuck's ashes into the wind, and Shepherd Book guided the mourners in prayer and psalms.

Before they had gone back to Persephone, Jayne had taken Mattie to one very special place where a wall of magnetite ore waited.

_Here's_ _where yer Grandpa lies, _Jayne had said. _Hope he's at peace now all the aliens are dead…_

_He is, _River had said. _He was just waiting on Chuck, and now they're all going on home…_

_Then I'm thinkin' we outta be doin' the same…_

Mattie rolled out of bed slowly, unwilling to leave the comfort of soft sheets, warm blankets, and comforting quilts. But breakfast smelled awfully good downstairs.

He went to the wash-stand, with the plain mirror over it.

_Pa and I really do look alike…_

Well…he had known since he was twelve that he was a clone. That was when his Pa had judged he was old enough to know the truth about how he had come into the world; and he really had to hand it to his Pa…

Mattie didn't feel any less loved for knowing he wasn't really Jayne's son.

_We're twins...Actually triplets, because we both came from John Casey…_

But in Mattie's heart, Jayne was his Pa, and John was his Grandpa…

"Hey Mattie," his Pa called up the stairs. "You gonna come down fer breakfast?"

"Yeah, Pa…" Mattie called back. "I'll be down in a minute."

He gave his face a quick shave, and then inspected his handiwork carefully. Good; no nicks or cuts…

He ran a hand through his mop of brown curls…

_Maybe there's a reason Pa keeps his hair cropped short…_

Now dressed and ready to face the day, Mattie came down the stairs to the first floor; only to be pounced upon by his youngest sibling…

Little Dana Cobb wasn't even three, and Mattie loved her to pieces; even when-as now-she was being a little pest.

She had attached herself to his right leg.

"I'm a barny…barne…_barnacle_," she announced, looking up at him with serious blue eyes.

"Oh, you are, sprout?" Mattie grinned down at her. "Well, I'm putting in at Port Breakfast."

He hobbled into the Dining Room, the little barnacle giggling in delight.

"Dana, ya little imp!" Jayne Cobb swooped down and snatched up the little girl.

"You ain't a barnacle," the older man said, pure mischief lighting his blue eyes. "I know exactly what ya are!"

"What am I, Pa?"

"Yer a Firefly, of course, and yer goin' inta hyperspace!"

Jayne was tossing his youngest daughter up in the air, to her delighted shrieks of laughter, catching her and spinning her around.

"Yer a leaf on the wind, Little Imp!"

"Make sure Dana's face and hands are clean, dear Jayne," Mama said as she worked at the stove. "Breakfast will be ready soon."

"Yeah, baobei," Jayne tossed his giggling daughter over his shoulder and headed for the bathroom.

Mattie closed his eyes, listening to Dana's giggling, and his Pa's cussing. Then, he turned back to his Mama, River Cobb.

Married life agreed with her. She was whole and happy; and she was the reason Mattie had become what he was becoming…

Unlike his Pa, who's brain had been damaged-for his own protection-back when he was a baby, Mattie _had_ turned out to be a genius. More than that, he had turned out to be that one in a billion kind of genius. Just like River herself.

It had been she who had kept his ferocious intellect fed and challenged, she who had made sure he learned all these languages, mathematical concepts, and things concerning quantum mechanics.

And Jayne wasn't jealous at all.

_Well…maybe a little_, Jayne had admitted once. But there was also a boatload of pride there as well.

And it wasn't to say that Jayne wasn't a kind of off-the-charts genius in his own way.

_His_ gifts lay in his senses. Sight, hearing, smell, and touch. Jayne wasn't a Reader. But he could literally smell someone who lied. And folk learned that if Jayne felt his hackle rise, it meant someone meant to do them harm.

So there were things he could teach Mattie too…

"Today's the day."

River put a glass of orange juice, and a cup of tea in front of him.

"I know, Mama."

He was joining the _Planetary Recovery Corps_ today. He was going to take all that science that River had taught him, and he was going to help the _COMPACT_ rehabilitate all those planets destroyed by the aliens.

But it meant he was going to be away from all those he knew and loved, for a very long time.

Still, there was no better occupation for such a mind as his. For all his strengths and talents, he wasn't a fighter, like Jayne, or a military man, like John Casey. Oh, he could fight, if he had to. But it didn't come to him naturally, like Jayne and John.

_Bringing entire planets back from the brink, making them habitable places for life, that's what I was meant to do…_

"Everyone, come to the table," River called. "Breakfast is ready."

Breakfast was, as usual, a noisy affair, kids and parents coming together over good food. Then, because it was Mattie's Birthday, and because he also had a busy day ahead of him, everyone trooped into the front room, where all the family photos had pride of place…

There was that photo of John Casey that Uncle Chuck had given Jayne so many years ago, the one that smiling one that Anna Wu had taken over five hundred years ago. And it wasn't alone. There was the Wedding photo of Jayne and River, and a photo of Grandma Dana Scully, photos of Uncle Chuck on _his_ wedding day, five hundred years ago, photos of Mattie, and all the other kids as well, along with photos of Uncle Mal, Aunt Inara, Aunt Kaylee, and Uncle Simon, Aunt Zoe and Uncle Wash, and Uncle Book.

In short, all of the family was on the walls, all the joyful events that make up the life of a family.

Then, all that selfsame family arrived to celebrate Mattie's Eighteenth Birthday, with presents and cake. And Kaylee repeated history, by giving Mattie a hand-knitted hat…

Mattie looked at the bright pink knitted hat in his hands…

"Some of those planets you'll be going to will be _cold_," Kaylee said. You need to keep warm out there in the black."

"Yeah," Jayne nodded as he set the hat on his son's head. "Looks cunning, don't it?"

Then, it was time. They could all hear the _COMPACT _shuttle as it came down…

Mattie was passed from person to person, hugged, cried on, and kissed by all and sundry.

Finally, he was facing his Uncle Mal…

"You're gonna do just fine out in the black," Mal said, his eyes suspiciously misty. "As long as you keep your head."

He drew Mattie in for a hug.

"Do your Pa proud…"

"I will, Uncle Mal…"

Now, Mattie was outside the house, with Mama and Pa…

"_Write_ to us," River asked. "Let us know how you're doing out there."

"I will, Mama," he hugged her, kissed the top of her head. Then, he was facing his Pa, looking at him eye-to-eye…

Jayne Cobb was looking a little misty-eyed too, and his jaw worked, as if he were trying to find the right words to say.

"Aw…hell…" Jayne muttered softly, then stepped up and pulled Mattie into a fierce hug.

"You be good, boy, or I'll come and tan your hide."

Mattie hugged his father back. Then, he turned and climbed into the shuttle-a long range high speed model-and buckled himself in.

As the shuttle pulled up and away, he saw his Pa pull Mama close as they both waved their eldest son goodbye…

The shuttle broke atmosphere; then safely out of Persephone's gravity well, it went into hyperspace. Scant hours later, they were making rendezvous with the _COMPACT_ Flagship; the _John Casey._

There, in front of the President, Diane Beckman, Matthew John Cobb was formally inducted into the _Planetary Recovery Corps_, along with several dozen other new recruits.

President Beckman's presence was a signal honor, and nobody really noticed that her gaze lingered longest on Ensign Cobb…

fin

* * *

_Notes and thanks:_

_What a long, strange trip it's been…_

_This story had been brewing quite literally for years. Oddly enough it started out as two stories when I started watching the first season of Chuck, since I was also watching Firefly on DVD at the time. Separately, the two stories-one about the life and death of John Casey, and the other about how Jayne was so much more that anyone thought he was-gave me trouble. Until I decided that they were really one story told in two different eras._

_Hopefully I did well…_

_Thanks to all of my readership. In particular, Brandywine00, GoB, and BlueeyedBrigadier, for encouragement and thoughtful suggestions…_


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